This amazing new image was revealed on April 4, 2025, and it showcases the stunning young star cluster NGC 346. While both the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope have previously shared images of NGC 346, this latest image includes fresh data and is the first to combine Hubble observations taken in infrared, optical, and ultraviolet wavelengths, providing a highly detailed view of this dynamic star-forming region.

Located in the Small Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way 200,000 light-years away in the constellation Tucana, NGC 346 is less rich in heavy elements than our galaxy, resembling conditions of the early universe.

NGC 346 is home to over 2,500 newly formed stars, with the cluster’s massive stars emitting intense blue light in the image. The pink nebula and dark clouds are shaped by these bright stars within the cluster.

Hubble’s precise resolution helped uncover the secrets of NGC 346’s star formation process. With observations taken 11 years apart, researchers found that the stars in the cluster spiral towards the center, fueled by gas from outside the cluster.

The hot, massive stars in NGC 346 create radiation and winds that sculpt the surrounding nebula, named N66, the brightest example of an H II region in the Small Magellanic Cloud. These regions are illuminated by ultraviolet light from hot stars, indicating the young age of NGC 346.