Massive Star Formation in the Fireworks Galaxy: A High Resolution JVLA Survey of NGC 6946

The Fireworks Galaxy, NGC 6946, is a face-on, nearby, grand design spiral galaxy that has a high star formation rate and is the current leader in producing supernovae (SNe) with nine SNe produced over the past century. The study of star formation regions and massive star SN/SNRs is ideally suited for NGC 6946 given its face-on inclination and well defined spiral arms. We present the results of an ongoing high resolution, low frequency Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array survey of NGC 6946 at 20, 6, and 3.6 cm. These high resolution radio observations reveal HII regions, including ultra dense (UDHII) HII regions, SNe, and supernova remnants (SNRs) that represent the beginning and end stages of massive star formation. Our new survey is a factor of two times more sensitive than an older survey and also includes new data at 3.6 cm. Previous radio surveys have identified both UDHII regions and SNRs in NGC 6946. The radio SNRs are correlated with the spiral arms and star formation regions, indicative of a massive star progenitor origin for the SNe/SNRs. We present our new radio maps and discuss the newly identified sources and their relevance to the massive star formation in NGC 6496.