Star Cluster NGC 602 (200,000 light-years from Earth)

Near the outskirts of the Small Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy approximately 200,000 light-years from Earth, lies the young star cluster NGC 602. This cluster resembles conditions in the early Universe, characterized by low levels of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium. The presence of dense dust clouds and abundant ionized gas indicates ongoing star formation, making NGC 602 an ideal site for studying star formation under conditions different from those in our solar neighborhood. While observing NGC 602, astronomers identified possible brown dwarfs — the first candidates found outside the Milky Way. Brown dwarfs, with masses between 13 and 75 times that of Jupiter, are neither fully stars nor gas giant planets. Visible alongside the central nebula are distant galaxies and a few massive, bright stars nearer to us. This extraordinary cosmic landscape was captured by combining data from both Webb’s NIRCam and MIRI instruments.