NGC 6543 & IC 4677
Common Name: Cat's Eye Nebula
Also Known as: Caldwell 6, Snail Nebula, Sunflower Nebula
Object Type: Planetary Nebula
Constellation: Draco
Distance from Earth: 3,300 light years
Apparent Magnitude: 9.8
Coordinates: RA 17H 58M 33.423S DEC 66 deg 37 min 59.52 sec
Actual Size: 0.2 light years
Apparent Dimensions: 20 arcminutes x 16 arcminutes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environmental Data
Date: May 12, 16, 18, 2026 Start Time: 8:53 / 8:53 / 9:19 PM End Time: 9:55 PM / 12:52 AM / 2:52 AM SQM: 16.96 / 16.53 / 18.52
Moon Age: 2 days (May 18th) Moonset: 11:51 PM Moon Illumination: 4.7%
Temperature: 50.2 / 59.9 / 68.9 degrees F Humidity: 63% / 60% / 73% Dew Point: 38.1 / 45.9 / 59.9 degrees F
Location: Westport, Massachusetts 02790 Sky Condition: Clouds early on May 12th. Clouds later in night on May 16th.
Comment:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imaging Scope Data
Mount: iOptron CEM120 Camera: ZWO ASI2600 monochrome Focuser: Optec QuickSync FT20
Telescope: Celestron 11 inch SCT Edge Focal Length: 2800mm
Focal Reducer/Field Flattener: None Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip
Filter Wheel : ZWO EFW 7 position 2 inch Filter(s): Baader Lum CMOS optimized 2 inch, Baader RED CMOS optimized 2 inch, Baader GREEN CMOS optimized 2 inch, Baader BLUE CMOS optimized 2 inch
Rotator: Pegasus Falcon 2 Power Control: Pegasus Ultimate Powerbox V2
Imaging Software
Mount: iOptron Commander Focuser: Optec FocusLynx Commander
Imaging: Sequence Generator Pro Platesolve: ASTAP Rotator/Control: Pegasus Unity Platform
Imaging Status
Imaging Software: Sequence Generated Focus HFR 4.97 / 5.39 / 5.4 Platesolve: Success on 3th attempt
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guide Scope Data
Telescope: Stellarvue SVX130 refractor Camera: ZWO ASI290 Focuser: Optec DirectSync SV35
Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip Software: PHD2 Exposure: 1-2 sec Binning: 1x1 Tracking Result: 0.69-0.86 arc-seconds RMS (May 12th), 0.8 arc-seconds RMS (May 16th), 0.7-0.9 arc-seconds RMS (May 18th)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Images Taken
Number of light frames (LUM): 45 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: 100
Number of light frames (Red): 30 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: 100
Number of light frames (green): 30 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: 100
Number of light frames (Blue): 30 Duration: 2 minutes Gain: 100
Number of light frames (Ha): 25 Duration: 5 minutes Gain: 100
Number of light frames (Oiii): 20 Duration: 5 minutes Gain: 100
Camera Temperature: 0 degrees C Binning: 1x1 F-Stop: 10.0
Total Integration Time: 8.25 hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of flat frames (LUM): 25 Duration: 0.12 Gain:100
Number of flat frames (Red): 25 Duration: 0.38 Gain: 100
Number of flat frames (Green): 25 Duration: 0.26 Gain: 100
Number of flat frames (Blue): 25 Duration: 0.26 Gain: 100
Number of flat frames (Ha): 25 Duration: 9.4 Gain: 100
Number of flat frames (Oiii): 25 Duration: 5.0 Gain: 100
Flat Field Illumination: All-Pro 'Spike-a-Flat Field standard' illuminated panel
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Dark frames: 50 (from library) Duration: 2/5 minutes Gain: 100
Number of Bias frames: 50 (from library) Duration: 0.001 seconds Gain: 100
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imaging Processing
Imaging Processing Software: PixInsight
Processes utilized: Linear - calibration/integration:
For each of the LUM, RED, GREEN, BLUE, Ha, and Oiii lights: Flats ImageCalibration with Master Bias, Flat ImageIntegration, Images ImageCalibration with Flat Master & Dark Master, SubFrameSelector
StarAlign all calibrated lights using best LUM image as reference, ImageIntegration of each of the LUM, RED, GREEN, BLUE , Ha and Oiii sets
Linear - Background extraction, Color correction, deconvolution, noise reduction:
LUM DynamicCrop, GraXpert, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXterminator.
RED/GREEN/BLUE DynamicCrop, GraXpert, ChannelCombine to create color image using only Red/Green/Blue, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXterminator, Image Solver script, SpectroPhotometricColorCalibration
Ha/Oiii DynamicCrop, GraXpert, BlurXTerminator, NoiseXterminator.
Non-Linear:
LUM: MultiscaleAdaptiveStretch, GAME script, CurvesTransformation
Color:MultiscaleAdaptiveStretch, CurvesTransformation
Ha & Oiii:MultiscaleAdaptiveStretch, StarXterminator to eliminate stars, GAME script, CurvesTransformation
CombineRGBand Narrowband script to add Ha and Oiii to RGB.
ImageBlend script to combine LUM and COLOR/Narrowband masters, GAME script, CurvesTransformation to darken background and increase color saturation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
Click Below Image for Full Size:
Click to Return to Home Page