|
After years of discussion, the scenario of star formation by accretion via a
circumstellar disc seems to be accepted also for the stellar high mass range.
Although much theoretical and observational evidence for this claim has been
collected, a convincing example of an imaged circumstellar disc around a
progenitor of a high mass star is still missing. In 2004, we reported on an
exceptionally large disc in the star forming region of M17 hosting an
embedded stellar source that might evolve into a high mass star. I will review
the controversial debate on this source up to recently published data leading
to a clearer - yet not final - picture of this source. The current result
supports the view that the embedded source might be a YSO having a mass between
2.8 and 8 solar masses, still being under the influence of accretion that may
eventually produce an intermediate to high-mass star. Finally, I will
briefly discuss how upcoming observations will help to further constrain the
nature of the source and the disc.
|
