NGC 346 is a young
open cluster of stars with associated
nebula located in the
Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) that appears in the southern
constellation of
Tucana. It was discovered August 1, 1826 by Scottish astronomer
James Dunlop.
J. L. E. Dreyer described it as, "bright, large, very irregular figure, much brighter middle similar to double star, mottled but not resolved". On the outskirts of the cluster is the
multiple star systemHD 5980, one of the brightest stars in the SMC.This cluster is located near the center of the brightest
H II region in the SMC, designated N66.This is positioned in the northeast section of the
galactic bar. Stellar surveys have identified 230 massive
OB stars in the direction of this cluster. 33 of the cluster members are
O-type stars, with 11 of type O6.5 or
earlier. The inner 15 pc radius of the cluster appears centrally condensed, while the area outside that volume is more dispersed. The youngest cluster members near the center have ages of less than two million years, and observations suggests the cluster is still engaged in high mass
star formation. The cluster star formation rate is estimated at (4±1)×10−3
M☉ yr−1.Recent observations by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have provided unprecedented insights into NGC 346. These observations have revealed surprising details about the cluster's dust environment, challenging previous assumptions and shedding light on the processes of protostar formation and early planetary development within this dynamic stellar nursery. Webb's observations mark a significant advancement in our understanding of star formation in the Small Magellanic Cloud and offer exciting avenues for further research into the cosmic evolution of galaxies.
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