Larger View Click Belowhttp://bcjones.zenfolio.com/img/s10/v2/p1017073863-5.jpg Explanation: From our vantage point in the
Milky Way Galaxy, we see
NGC 6946 face-on. The big beautiful
spiral galaxy is located just 10 million light-years away, behind a veil of foreground stars in the high and far-off
constellation of Cepheus. Looking from the bright core outward along the loose, fragmented spiral arms, the galaxy's colors show a striking change from the yellowish light of old stars in the galaxy's center to young blue star clusters and reddish star forming regions. NGC 6946 is also bright
in infrared light and rich in gas and dust, exhibiting a high star birth and death rate. In fact, during the 20th century, at least six supernovae, the
death explosions of massive stars, were discovered
in NGC 6946. In
this sharp composite color digital image, a small
barred structure is just visible at the gorgeous galaxy's core.