The eclipsing millisecond pulsar PSR J1740-5340 and its red straggler companion

A near- and mid-infrared study of the star formation complex G9.62+0.19 is presented. It includes photometrically calibrated images through wide-band JHK and narrow-band Br (gamma), H 2 and 12.5 (mu)m filters. These were taken at Las Campanas, La Silla and OAN-San Pedro M?rtir. We found evidence of two embedded young clusters of O-B5 stars associated with the radio components B and C, one compact and one ultracompact HII region. The data suggest the presence of a third, more dispersed cluster of more luminous infrared stars at the southern edge of the cloud complex. A large fraction of the star members of each cluster exhibit significant infrared excess. We confirm the detection of a very red nearand mid-infrared source immersed in the molecular hot core (component F). An H 2 shocked gas knot, probably an obscured Herbig-Haro object, was found associated to the blue-shifted lobe of the high-velocity molecular outflow in this core. The properties of the individual sources are discussed in detail.