* Astronomy

NGC 6217 (also PGC 58477, ARP 185, UGC 10470) is a magnitude +11.2 face-on barred spiral galaxy located 67 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Minor.

The galaxy was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel using a 47.5 cm (18.7 inch) f/13 speculum reflector at Windsor Road, Slough, on the 12th December 1797.

Right Ascension 16^h 32^m 38.7^s, Declination +78° 11' 57"

NGC 6217 has been characterized as a starburst galaxy, which means it is undergoing a high rate of star formation compared to a typical galaxy. As a result, the spectrum is dominated by stellar photoionization from young, hot stars.
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