Hubble Captures Stunning Image of Star Cluster NGC 346

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a detailed image of NGC 346, a star cluster within the Small Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy orbiting the Milky Way at roughly 210,000 light-years away. The image combines infrared, visible light, and ultraviolet data, providing insights into star formation in conditions similar to the early universe, with fewer elements heavier than helium. The cluster contains over 2,500 young stars and is surrounded by a pink nebula of hydrogen gas illuminated by ultraviolet light from hot stars. Dark dust clouds remain from the original star-forming material. Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope indicate that even older stars in the cluster retain gas and dust disks, suggesting planets may have more time to form.