Astrophotography

Name: NGC 6946
Catalogue number: ARP 29
Object type: Spiral Galaxies
Category: One Heavy Arm
Orientation: East
Preliminary taxonomy: Spiral Galaxy
Constellation name: Cygnus
Constellation common name: The Swan
Constellation possessive form: Cygni
RA (J2000): 20h 34.870m
Dec (J2000): 60° 9.200'
Ecliptic longitude: 358° 2.908'
Ecliptic latitude: 71° 51.050'
Galactic longitude: 95° 43.099'
Galactic latitude: 11° 40.370'
Apparent magnitude: 8.80
Angular size: 21 arcminutes
Axis size: 21'
Description: NGC 6946 is a 9th magnitude face-on spiral galaxy that forms a nice pair with the nearby 7.8th magnitude open cluster NGC 6939. Both can be observed together in the same low magnification field of view, separated by only 2/3 of a degree. NGC 6946 is a fine galaxy in larger telescopes but rather dull in small telescopes which show this galaxy as a pale undistinguished glow. The beauty comes in the contrast formed between the faint haze of NGC 6946 and the granular structure of the open cluster. Because NGC 6946 lies near the galactic plane, photographs reveal a galaxy highly obscured by matter from our own Milky Way. Six supernovae have been detected in this galaxy, more than in any other galaxy. The Hubble Space Telescope has identified a bright spot caused by the collision of two expanding supernova remnant shells.

For more information on NGC 6946 click here to go to the WikiSky pages.

Text and sky representation image from StarryNight Pro Plus
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