2021ApJ...911...91C

We have investigated the stellar and interstellar content of the distant star formation region IRAS 17591-2228 (WISE H II region GAL 007.47+0.06). It is associated with a water maser, whose parallax distance is d=20.4_–2.2^+2.8 kpc, supported by independent measurements of proper motion and radial velocity. It is projected in the same direction as an extremely red (J-K_S ∼ 6 mag) group of stars, and a shell of mid-infrared emission. We qualify the group of stars as a cluster candidate, VVV CL177. Its radius spans between 0.'45 and 1' and contains at least two young stellar objects with an extreme extinction near A_V∼40 mag. Yet more analysis will be required to determine if it is a real single cluster associated with the water maser. The ¹³CO emissions at the radial velocity of the maser corresponds to the mid-infrared emission.