This image may not be used to state or imply NOAO endorsement of any company or product Spiral galaxy NGC 6946, Gemini North telescope image. This is

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This image may not be used to state or imply NOAO endorsement of any company or product Spiral galaxy NGC 6946, Gemini North telescope image. This is a starburst galaxy, one in which stars are born and die at a much greater rate than normal. This can be seen by the abundance of starbirth regions (red) in the galaxy's spiral arms. NGC 6946 was also home to eight supernovae between 1917 and 2004, making it the most prolific source of supernovae in that period. The last supernova in our Milky Way was in 1604. This galaxy lies between 10-20 million light years away on the border between the constellations Cygnus and Cepheus. Image taken on 12th August 2004.

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Size: 2600px × 2504px
Photo credit: © NOAO/AURA/NSF/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 12/08/2004, 2004, 21st, 6946, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, century, cepheus, cygnus, emission, galactic, galaxy, gemini, gmos, multi-object, nebula, nebulae, ngc, north, space, spectrograph, spiral, spiralling, starbirth, telescope, universe