------------------------------------------------------------------------
 w43 to appear in AJ, March 1999
content-length: 1863

astro-ph/9812070
http://www.ctio.noao.edu/ftp/pub/blum/
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\title{The Stellar Content of Obscured Galactic Giant H~II Regions: I. W43}

\author{R. D. Blum\altaffilmark{2}} 
\affil{Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, Casilla 603, La Serena,
Chile\\ rblum@noao.edu}

\author{A. Damineli\altaffilmark{2,3}}
\affil{ IAG-USP, Av. Miguel Stefano 4200, 04301-904, Sao Paulo, Brazil
\\damineli@iagusp.usp.br}

\author{P. S. Conti}
\affil{JILA, University of Colorado\\Campus Box 440, Boulder, CO,
80309\\pconti@casa.colorado.edu}

\begin{abstract}

Near infrared images of the Galactic giant H~II region W43 reveal a dense
stellar cluster at its center. Broad band 
$JHK$ photometry of the young cluster and
$K-$band spectra of three of its bright stars are presented. The 2 \mic \
spectrum of the brightest star in the cluster is very well matched to the
spectra of Wolf--Rayet stars of sub--type WN7. Two other stars are
identified as O type giants or supergiants by their \ion{N}{3} and \ion{C}{4}
emission. The close spatial clustering of O and the hydrogen WN type stars
is analogous to the intense star burst clusters R136 in the Large
Magellanic Cloud and NGC~3603 in the Galaxy.
 
\end{abstract}