1998A&A...339..759F

We present new imaging data on the ultracompact HII region G45.45+0.06 at near- and mid-infrared wavelengths. High-resolution data were taken in the H and K' bands using ESO's adaptive optics system ADONIS. The resulting images with a generic resolution of 0.4" for the first time allow the resolution of the object into several single point-like sources. Additionally, we present images obtained in the mid-infrared at 3.5, 10, and 12µm. A Brγ image was obtained to serve as a measure for the extinction towards this region. We derive the physical properties of the point sources and show that some of them are young, massive stars. By combining our data with earlier VLA maps, we measure the extinction towards the region and discuss the history of the object. Finally, we conclude that G45.45+0.06 is a young OB cluster similar to the KL/BN Region in Orion and that sequential star formation is the reason for its present morphology.