Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Cepheus (Cep)  ·  Contains:  Fireworks Galaxy  ·  NGC 6946
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NGC 6946 - Fireworks Galaxy, James E.
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NGC 6946 - Fireworks Galaxy

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
NGC 6946 - Fireworks Galaxy, James E.
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NGC 6946 - Fireworks Galaxy

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Description

NGC 6946 (Fireworks Galaxy) is a face-on spiral in Cepheus about 25 million light years distant.  It is classified as a starburst galaxy. Ten supernovae have been observed in NGC 6946 in the 20th and 21st century - creating the nickname of the Fireworks Galaxy.  This supernova rate is about ten times that of the Milky Way even though the Milky Way has twice as many stars as NGC 6946. Some strange objects exist within the galaxy.  One such object is a structure called the Hodge Complex (in my image, the blue circular area located above the core - see revision for a closeup).  Noted first by Paul Hodge in 1967, it includes a young supergiant cluster.  Near the Hodge Complex are areas of strange, crossed dust lanes.  The orange star to the lower left of the galaxy is the carbon star MSB 38.

Imaged over several nights:  Jun 19-20; Jul 3, 2023.

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  • NGC 6946 - Fireworks Galaxy, James E.
    Original
  • NGC 6946 - Fireworks Galaxy, James E.
    F
  • Final
    NGC 6946 - Fireworks Galaxy, James E.
    G

G

Description: less blue

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NGC 6946 - Fireworks Galaxy, James E.

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