| Name | Fireworks Galaxy |
| Designation(s) | Arp 29, NGC 6946, C12 |
| Object Type(s) | Galaxy |
| Relevant Catalog(s) | All (Chron), Arp, Caldwell, NGC |
| Arp Category | Spiral galaxies with one heavy arm |
| Obs. Lat/Long | 42° 17', 073° 57' |
| Constellation | Cepheus |
| Date and Time Observed | 2022-11-26 09:38:00 |
| Instrument | Evolution 9.25 SCT with F6.3 reducer |
| Camera | ASI294mc-Pro |
| Image Details | Up is 232.6 degrees E of N (SW). Comparison rotated so N is right. Transparency: Good. Seeing: Fair. Total integration time was 43m. Exposure 10s@375g, UV/IR Cut Filter, captured in SharpCap. Darks and Flats subtracted. |
| Description | Originally discovered by William Herschel in 1798, and included in Halton Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. As is often the case with Arp, there's some ambiguity about which is the "heavy" arm, though I believe it's the one towards the bottom of the frame. My Evolution telescope had a mirror diagonal in the image train; the image was flipped in the comparison to Arp's capture. This was literally the first, successful capture of a faint Galaxy in my EAA career. There had been a painful learning curve leading to this point: I was required to capture both darks and flat frames. It was also my second attempt; two days earlier I had captured the galaxy but the focus was horribly off. This capture was my personal, "I love this!" moment. I had no notion of Arp at the time, but in retrospect, this experience started me on the path to the Arp Challenge because this is when I learned that challenging targets are the most fun. I've added to the gallery a "bonus" image of Arp 29 and the open cluster NGC 6939, imaged with my 600mm refractor in August 2023. |
| Related Observations | C12 (2) |
| Catalog Links | |
