The parallax and 3D kinematics of water masers in the massive star-forming region G034.43+0.24

Abstract

We report a trigonometric parallax measurement of 22 GHz water masers in the massive star-forming region G034.43+0.24 as part of the Bar and Spiral Structure Legacy (BeSSeL) Survey using the Very Long Baseline Array. The parallax is 0.330$\pm$50.018 mas, corresponding to a distance of $3.03^{+0.17}_{-0.16}$ kpc. This locates G034.43+0.24 near the inner edge of the Sagittarius spiral arm and at one end of a linear distribution of massive young stars which cross nearly the full width of the arm. The measured 3-dimensional motion of G034.43+0.24 indicates a near-circular Galactic orbit. The water masers display arc-like distributions, possibly bow shocks, associated with winds from one or more massive young stars.