Pictures of the Fireworks Galaxy

NGC 6946 is known as the Fireworks Galaxy because in the last 100 years alone it has been home to 10 observed stellar explosions known as supernovae. If ever there were a galaxy that deserved to be known for its stellar fireworks, this is it!

Our own Milky Way galaxy, for example, averages about 1 known supernova every century.

The Fireworks Galaxy is a perfect example of a galaxy positioned relative to Earth so we can see it face-on, unlike edge-on galaxies such as the Needle Galaxy, for example.

Images of the Fireworks Galaxy reveal bright blue pockets of newly formed stars within the distinct spiral arms, and a luminous galactic core.

The Fireworks Galaxy is an intermediate spiral galaxy and is also known as a ‘starburst galaxy’, due to its high rate of star formation.

The galaxy is located about 25 million lightyears away from us and can be seen on the border of the Cepheus and Cygnus constellations.

It is number 8 on our pick of the top deep-sky objects listed in the Caldwell Catalogue created by Patrick Moore.

Below is a selection of images of the Fireworks Galaxy captured by astrophotographers and BBC Sky at Night Magazine readers from around the world.

For more on astrophotography, read our astrophotography guides or learn how to fine-tune your astro images with our tutorial on image processing.

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