An infrared study of the Ophiuchus dark cloud

A near-infrared survey has been conducted of nearly 18 square degrees of the Ophiuchus dark cloud complex. Additional observations have been made of selected objects found in this survey and of the brighter objects found by Grasdalen et al. and by Vrba et al. in this region in order to identify and study the young stars associated with the cloud. These observations show that very recent star formation has been largely restricted to a small region at the center of the dark cloud complex, no more than a few parsecs in extent. Most of the young stars do not appear to be main-sequence stars. At least three of these objects appear to be surrounded by infrared reflection nebulae. Many of the objects studied are background K and M giants which can be used to determine the near-infrared extinction due to the cloud.