Object of the Season

Planetary Nebula NGC 6543 in Draco

The Cat’s Eye Nebula was discovered by William Herschel on 15 February 1786. It includes the knot IC 4677. NGC 6543 is 4.4' from the current position of the north ecliptic pole. It was the first planetary nebula to be observed with a spectroscope by William Huggins in 1864.

Planetary Nebula NGC 6543 in Draco - Nordic Optical Telescope and Romano Corradi (Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes, Spain)
Planetary Nebula NGC 6543 in Draco (Image credit: Nordic Optical Telescope and Romano Corradi (Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes, Spain)).
Name
NGC 6543
Position (2000)
17 58 33.4 +66 37 59 (Dra)
Type
Planetary nebula
Visual Magnitude
8.1 mag.
Size
5.1'
Distance
4455 ly
Other Designations
IV 37, GC 4373, PK 96+29.1

Results of the observations of NGC 6543 will be published in DSO 197.

Wolfgang Steinicke - Nebulae and Clusters Section Director