NGC 346

NGC 346
James Webb Space Telescope image of NGC 346
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Right ascension00h 59m 05.090s
Declination−72° 10′ 33.24″
Distance210,000 light-years
Physical characteristics
H II region
Other designationsESO 51-10, N66
Associations
ConstellationTucana

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 system HD 5980, one of the brightest stars in the SMC.

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