We have made a serendipitous discovery of an enigmatic outflow source , IRAS 05506+2414 ( hereafter IRAS 05506 ) , as part of a multi-wavelength survey of pre-planetary nebulae ( PPNs ) .
The HST optical and near-infrared images show a bright compact central source with a jet-like extension , and a fan-like spray of high-velocity ( with radial velocities upto 350 km s ^ { -1 } ) elongated knots which appear to emanate from it .
These structures are possibly analogous to the near-IR “ bullets ” seen in the Orion nebula .
Interferometric observations at 2.6 mm show the presence of a high-velocity CO outflow and a continuum source also with a faint extension , both of which are aligned with the optical jet structure .
IRAS 05506 is most likely not a PPN .
We find extended NH _ { 3 } ( 1,1 ) emission towards IRAS 05506 ; these data together with the combined presence of far-IR emission , H _ { 2 } O and OH masers , and CO and CS J=2–1 emission , strongly argue for a dense , dusty star-forming core associated with IRAS 05506 .
IRAS 05506 is probably an intermediate-mass or massive protostar , and the very short time-scale ( 200 yr ) of its outflows indicates that it is very young .
If IRAS 05506 is a massive star , then the lack of radio continuum and the late G – early K spectral type we find from our optical spectra implies that in this object we are witnessing the earliest stages of its life , while its temperature is still too low to provide sufficient UV flux for ionisation .