Assessing the stellar population and the environment of an HII region on
  the far side of the Galaxy
  We have investigated the stellar and interstellar content of the distant star
formation region IRAS 17591-2228 (WISE HII region GAL 007.47+0.06). It is
associated to a water maser, whose parallax distance is d=20.4^{+2.8} {-2.2}
kpc, supported by independent measurements of proper motion and radial
velocity. It is projected in the same direction as an extremely red (J-Ks ~ 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 Av ~ 40 mag. Yet more analysis will be required to determine is 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.
