Although Henize 206 was first catalogued in the 1950s, it was reported in NASA press releases in March 2004, for showing several example images generated from the various infrared cameras on the Spitzer Space Telescope launched in August 2003.

By imaging Henize 206 in infrared wavelengths, Spitzer was able to see through blankets of dust that dominate visible light views.

The resulting false-color image shows embedded young stars as bright white spots, with the surrounding gas and dust in blue, green and red.

[3] The gas and dust were subsequently compressed into large groups, then gravity further condensed them into massive objects, and stars were born.

Detailed observations of a star cluster nebula provide astronomers with a laboratory for understanding the early universe, and stellar birth and death cycles.