A ROSAT Observation of the Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 6946

I present the ROSAT Position-Sensitive Proportional Counter image of the nearby, nearly face-on, spiral galaxy NGC 6946. The galaxy was observed with Einstein in 1980, uncovering a nuclear source, a source on or near the northern spiral arm, SN 1980K, and evidence for non-point- source (i.e., diffuse) emission. The ROSAT image resolves the nuclear region into approximately three sources, yields an accurate position for the north arm source, and reveals diffuse extended emission across the galaxy face, tracing at least the bright northern spiral arm of the galaxy. The diffuse emission is almost certainly the very hot component of the galaxy's interstellar medium and is probably similar to that found in the Milky Way and the Large Magellanic Cloud.