The LMC H II region N 214C and its peculiar nebular blob

¹ LERMA, Observatoire de Paris, 61 avenue de l'Observatoire, 75014 Paris, France e-mail: Frederic.Meynadier@obspm.fr
² Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA

Received: 15 December 2004
Accepted: 3 March 2005

Abstract

We study the Large Magellanic Cloud H ii region N 214C using imaging and spectroscopy obtained at the ESO New Technology Telescope. On the basis of the highest resolution images so far obtained of the OB association LH 110, we show that the main exciting source of the H ii region, Sk , is in fact a tight cluster of massive stars consisting of at least 6 components in an area ~4'' wide. Spectroscopic observations allow us to revise the spectral type of the main component (# 17) to O2 V ((f*)) + OB, a very rare, hot type. We also classify several other stars associated with N 214C and study the extinction and excitation characteristics of the H ii region. Moreover, we obtain BVR photometry and astrometry of 2365 stars and from the corresponding color–magnitude diagram study the stellar content of N 214C and the surrounding LH 110. Furthermore, we discover a striking compact blob of ionized gas in the outer northern part of N 214C. A spherical structure of ~5'' in radius (~1.3 pc), it is split into two lobes by absorbing dust running diametrically through its center. We discuss the possible nature of this object.