Observation by Kevin Gurney: Cat's Eye Nebula

Uploaded by

Kevin Gurney

Observer

Kevin Gurney

Observed

2023 Aug 19 - 20:51

Uploaded

2023 Sep 09 - 21:04

Objects

The Cat's Eye Nebula (NGC6543)

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Constellation

Draco

Field centre

RA: 17^h58^m
Dec: +66°37'
Position angle: +4°38'

Field size

0°14' × 0°12'

Equipment

ZWO ASI 1600MM pro
Williams Optics Star 71
Fornax 102 mount
Baader LRGB Filters
Atik EFW
LodestarX2 guide camera
Starkeeper Voyager
Pixinsight

Exposure

24x300s Lum, 13x300s Red, 13x300s Green, 12x30s Blue

Location

Charente, France

Target name

Cat's Eye Nebula

Title

Cat's Eye Nebula

About this image

This planetary nebula is a challenging target as it comprises a very bright central core and a faint, surrounding nebulosity. As well as the 300s subs, I also collected data at 30s and 120s with a view to using these shorter exposures for the core, and then combining with the 300s data for the surround. Alas, this proved too demanding: the Pixinsight High Dynamic Range combination tool was thwarted, and all my ad hoc methods failed too. I therefore eventually used only the 300s data (albeit 5 hours worth) but worked to tone down the core with some masking.

I think the final result does show some detail in the core but it doesnt do it justice - see the Hubble images of this region which show a beautiful spiral structure

Files associated with this observation

Combo2_HDRb_SCNR_crop_BAA.jpg (663.4 kB)

Like this image

Graham Winstanley, Ian Jarrett, Martina McGovern, Simon Paul Davis, David Davies

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