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Re: (IAAC)Object: NGC 6543 (Cat's Eye Nebula) 20" Dob-Newt
Observer:N.J.Martin
Your skill:intermediate
Date and UT of observation:09/10 September 1997 01.00
Location & latitude:near Ayr South West Scotland lat 55 24'56"
Site classification:bright rural
Limiting magnitude (visual):6 (zenith) 4 at altitude 11 degree of nebula
Seeing (1 to 5 - best to worst):2
Moon up (phase?):no
Instrument:20" f4.4 Dobsonian
>Magnification:X86, X248
>Filters used:None, Lumicon UHC
>Object: NGC 6543 (Cat's Eye Nebula)
>Category:Planetary nebula
>Constellation:Draco
>Object data:mag 7.6 22"X16"
>RA/DE: RA 17 58' Dec 66 38'
>Description: This was my first view of the splendid Cat's eye nebula and I
can recommend it as a must for all observers.
At low magnification the nebula is a bright blue green (duck egg blue).
There is a definite red edge to it. The cats eye is difficult to see at X86
but appears at higher magnification. It is very clear at X130( roughly) with
the central star surrounded by a darker area in a complex structured sharp
edged elliptical nebulosity. The enlargement of the star's Airy disc by the
seeing made the cat's eye appearance more striking. If the focus was not
exact or the seeing particularily bad the star vanished into the nebulous
background. At X248 The structure was best seen and there was always a
suggestion of more structure at the limit of perception. The colour was much
less striking and the nebula was obviously not elliptical. The brightest
nebulosity was a rough rectangle in the direction NW-SE with a triangular
extension in the easterly (preceding) direction. The westerly (following)
extension was fainter and there was an indentation like a bite out of the
north westerly edge. The centre was darker but with nebulosity still present
and the eye appearance not as obvious as at lower magnifications.
For novices to save you the trouble I had last night (poor searching
technique).
Finding it. There is a little line of three 5/6 magnitude stars just off the
line between zeta and delta Draco. From the brightest (42 Draco) move
towards zeta the length of the line in the direction of the last two stars
of the line. There is a 7/8 magnitude star. Go in the same direction and
distance again. In the finder there is another 8 magnitude object. This is
the Cat's eye. It looks slightly fuzzier than a star but not obviously.
>*===================================*
>| nmartin@bonnyton.u-net.com |
>|"There are more things in heaven and earth ... than are dreamt of in your
>philosophy" (Hamlet, Act 1, Sc. 5) |
>
>Bonnyton House, Ayrshire,Scotland, UK. lat 55 24'56" N long 4 26' 00" W
>Altitude 150 m.
>*===================================*
>
>
>
*===================================*
| nmartin@bonnyton.u-net.com |
|"There are more things in heaven and earth ... than are dreamt of in your
philosophy" (Hamlet, Act 1, Sc. 5) |
Bonnyton House, Ayrshire,Scotland, UK. lat 55 24'56" N long 4 26' 00" W
Altitude 150 m.
*===================================*