The Fireworks Galaxy, also known as NGC 6946, earned its name due to its unusually high frequency of observed supernovae explosions over the past century. Its prominent spiral arms and vivid blue regions of star formation make it a striking target for astrophotographers. Located on the outskirts of the Milky Way, its position close to the galactic plane causes some obscuration due to dust, giving it a somewhat muted appearance in visible light. This galaxy is classified as a ‘starburst’ galaxy because of its prolific stellar creation activity and is a favorite among both amateur and professional astronomers.
Names and Catalog numbers
- Fireworks Galaxy
- NGC 6946
- Caldwell 12
- UGC 11597
- PGC 65001
- ARP 29
Position and the cosmic neighborhood
The Fireworks Galaxy is situated between the constellations Cygnus and Cepheus in the northern celestial hemisphere, and is visible to northern observers, especially during the summer and autumn months. Its sky coordinates are approximately right ascension 20h 34m 52s and declination +60° 09′ 14″ (J2000 epoch). NGC 6946 lies close to the plane of the Milky Way, which means it is partially obscured by the interstellar dust of our own galaxy, and it’s found in the general direction of the Maffei 1 Group, a small group of galaxies outside the Local Group.
Nice to Know
– The Fireworks Galaxy has hosted at least 10 observed supernovae in the last 100 years—an unusually high number and the reason for its nickname.
– It is a face-on spiral galaxy, providing a detailed view of its spiral structure and star-forming regions in long-exposure images.
– NGC 6946 is notable for its “starburst” activity, rapidly forming new stars within its bright spiral arms.
– The galaxy’s arms appear blue due to large pockets of recent star formation, making it an attractive target for astrophotography due to the vivid contrasts and detailed features captured.
Brightnes, distance and size
The Fireworks Galaxy has an apparent magnitude of about 9.6, which makes it accessible to amateur astrophotographers equipped with modest telescopes and cameras under dark skies. Its distance from Earth is approximately 22 to 25 million light-years. The galaxy itself spans about 40,000 light-years in diameter, and its apparent size is roughly 11×9.8 arcminutes in the night sky, meaning it covers about one-third the apparent diameter of the full Moon when viewed from Earth.
