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The Fireworks Galaxy (NGC 6946)

NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Kennicutt (U. of Ariz./Inst. of Astr., U. of Cambridge) and the SINGS Team · Download full size image

NGC 6946, or "The Fireworks Galaxy", is one of about a dozen nearby neighbors to the Milky Way. It is located approximately 10 million light-years away in the Cepheus constellation. This image was captured as part of the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey (SINGS) Legacy Project using the telescope's Infrared Array Camera (IRAC).

The "glowing" red emission reveals regions in the galaxy that are actively forming new stars. The blue dots sprinkled along this image are Milky Way stars along this line of sight.

The SINGS image is a four channel false color composite, where blue indicates emission at 3.6 microns, green corresponds to 4.5 microns, and red to 5.8 and 8.0 microns. The contribution from starlight (measured at 3.6 microns) in this picture has been subtracted from the 5.8 and 8 micron images to enhance the visibility of the dust features. Posted on: 04 Sep, 2008

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Spitzer awaiting installation of the launch faring Spitzer awaiting installation of the launch faring Spitzer awaiting installation of the launch faring Spitzer back in the clean room Workers at Kennedy Space Center in Florida inspect Spitzer Workers at Kennedy Space Center in Florida inspect Spitzer Workers at Kennedy Space Center in Florida inspect Spitzer Workers at Kennedy Space Center in Florida inspect Spitzer Workers at Kennedy Space Center in Florida inspect Spitzer Spitzer sits inside one half of its launch faring Spitzer sits inside one half of its launch faring Spitzer sits inside one half of its launch faring Spitzer's launch faring is installed Spitzer is moved into position Spitzer is moved into position Spitzer is moved into position Spitzer is moved into position Spitzer is moved into position Spitzer is moved into position Spitzer attached to its payload attach fitting, which will connect the satellite to its Delta II launch vehicle. Preparing Spitzer at KSC Preparing Spitzer at KSC Preparing Spitzer at KSC Preparing Spitzer at KSC Spitzer in a hangar at Kennedy Space Center. Spitzer in a hangar at KSC being prepared to be placed atop its rocket. Spitzer in a hangar at KSC being prepared to be placed atop its rocket. Spitzer in a hangar at KSC being prepared to be placed atop its rocket. Spitzer at Lockheed Martin shortly before being shipped to Florida. Spitzer under construction at Lockheed Martin. Spitzer under construction at Lockheed Martin. Spitzer under construction at Lockheed Martin. Spitzer under construction at Lockheed Martin. Spitzer after CTA-spacecraft integration. The CTA being prepared for vibration testing. The assembled telescope. The telescope during CTA integration. The assembled telescope. Artist rendition of Spitzer in its heliocentric orbit. Artist's conception of Spitzer ejecting its dust cover. Spitzer rendered against an infrared (100 micron) sky. Spitzer gathering solar energy to power itself. Spitzer departing the Earth soon after launch. Spitzer points its high-gain antenna towards the Earth. Views of the Spitzer observatory in 5 different orientations. Spitzer's solar panels shield the Observatory from the Sun, shown here in the infrared. Infrared view of Spitzer looking towards the Rho Ophiuchi at 100 microns. Infrared view of Spitzer looking towards the Rho Ophiuchi at 100 microns. Infrared view of Spitzer near the Rho Ophiuchi at 100 microns. Infrared view of Spitzer against the Milky Way and Orion at 100 microns. Spitzer 3-D model rendered with an alpha channel (for compositing). One-fifth scale model. One-fifth scale model.

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