[longshadow]

Is that the farthest cluster in which we can distinguish such stars?

Excellent question, grasshopper.....

It is actually the CLOSEST cluster where astronomers hoped to detect such faint beasts, because of the limitations in their equipment precluded from being able to detect objects this faint at greater distances....

..... however, the new equipment JUST installed last month on the Hubble Space Telescope will be many times more sensitive that what they used for this research, and thus will be invaluable in observing more distant clusters to see if the data collected from them supports (or contradicts) this finding.

[PatrickHenry]

The younger the universe actually is, the better I like it. First, we may be among the earliest intelligent species to evolve, so if we can develop the technology for interstellar travel, we may have a big head start on everyone else. Second, the earlier we are in the cosmological history of the universe, the longer we have to play out our destiny. Of course, eventually it all comes to an end, so it doesn't really matter. Nothing really matters ... grumble, grumble. Still, I persevere.