Near-infrared imaging of FSC 10214+4724 with the W. M. Keck Telescope

Near-infrared observations of the z = 2.286 IRAS source FSC 10214+4724, made with the near-infrared camera on the W. M. Keck Telescope, are reported. Deep broad-band images at 2.15 and 1.27 micrometers, and narrow-band images at 2.165 and 2.125 µm with 0.”6 to 0.”9 seeing show that FSC 10214+4724 consists of at least three distinct components in a compact group of galaxies. The source of the infrared luminosity appears to be in a strongly interacting galaxy that has a luminosity of ~100 times that of a present-day L* galaxy. The interaction suggests and 'age' of this galaxy of ≃ 10^9 yr. The Hα emission is resolved as a source of diameter ≃ 5 kpc, suggesting that a starburst contributes to the observed Hα emission. There is an excess of objects in the FSC 10214+4724 field that could represent galaxies in an associated cluster.