We use cookies to deliver essential features and to measure their performance. By using this site you accept our Privacy Policies.
A Complete Guide to the Solar System and the Night Sky
Content Menu
Major Objects Bright Comets Asteroids Near Earth Objects Space Probes Constellations & Deep Sky Objects Supernovae
3D Solar System Viewer Online Planetarium Jupiter's Galilean Moons Saturn's Rings and Moons Solar Eclipses
Set Observing Location What is Visible Now? The Sky Tonight Moon Calendar Create Quick Access Page
Articles Donate
About
FAQ
Feedback
Objects
Major Objects Bright Comets Asteroids Near Earth Objects Space Probes Constellations & Deep Sky Objects Supernovae
Charts
3D Solar System Viewer Online Planetarium Jupiter's Galilean Moons Saturn's Rings and Moons
Plan Observations
Set Observing Location What is Visible Now? The Sky Tonight Jupiter's Galilean Moons Moon Calendar Create Quick Access Page
Solar Eclipses
More
Articles Donate
About
FAQ
Feedback
✖ Donate now and help us to keep this site free and ad-free!
public Observing fromLocation: Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt
north SunriseRise: 7:49  
clear_day Transit: 11:49  
SunsetSet: 15:50 south
wb_twilight  • Nautical Twilight • What's Visible Now?

Support us

If you like TheSkyLive.com please consider a donation to support this project. Thank you!

In Evidence

Best Places to See the 2024 American Eclipse Based on Historical Weather Data
Using historical cloud coverage data we suggest the locations that could provide the better chances to have clear skies on April 8, 2024 to observe the eclipse. Read more...

Other deep sky objects in Draco
All Constellations »  Draco »  Deep Sky Objects » 

NGC 6543 (Cat's Eye Nebula) - Planetary Nebula in Draco

Altitude: 57.6°   Azimuth: 320.5°   Direction: North-West

NGC 6543 is a Planetary Nebula in the Draco constellation. NGC 6543 is situated close to the northern celestial pole and, as such, it is visible for most part of the year from the northern hemisphere.

NGC 6543
Planetary Nebula
Draco

NGC 6543 is above the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt.

Altitude: 57.6°
Azimuth: 320.5°
Direction: North-West

See also NGC 6543 rise and set times.

Given its visual magnitude of 9.01, NGC 6543 is visible with the help of a binocular with a 60-70mm aperture or a small telescope.

Available Resources for NGC 6543 (Cat's Eye Nebula) - Planetary Nebula in Draco

Photometric information of NGC 6543

The following table lists the magnitude of NGC 6543 in different bands of the electomagnetic spectrum (when available), from the B band (445nm wavelength, corresponding to the Blue color), to the V band ( 551nm wavelength, corresponding to Green/Yellow color), to the J, H, K bands (corresponding to 1220nm, 1630nm, 2190nm wavelengths respectively, which are colors not visible to the human eye).

9.79
9.01
8.95
9.08
8.34

For more information about photometry in astronomy, check the photometric system article on Wikipedia.

Apparent size of NGC 6543

The following table reports NGC 6543 apparent angular size. The green area displayed on top of the DSS2 image of NGC 6543 is a visual representation of it.
0.33 arcmin
0.33 arcmin

Digitized Sky Survey image of NGC 6543

The image below is a photograph of NGC 6543 from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2 - see the credits section) taken in the red channel. The area of sky represented in the image is 0.5x0.5 degrees (30x30 arcmins).

Image of NGC 6543 (Cat's Eye Nebula) - Planetary Nebula in Draco star
/>
DSS2 image of NGC 6543 in the Red band. The green region on the image is a representation of the major (0.33 arcmin) and minor (0.33 arcmin) axes of the object's apparent size.

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of NGC 6543

Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox of NGC 6543 are provided in the following table:

17h 58m 32s
+66° 37’ 59”

The simplified sky charts below show the position of NGC 6543 in the sky. The first chart has a field of view of 60° while the second one has a field of view of 10°.

Finder chart NGC 6543 (Cat's Eye Nebula) - Planetary Nebula in Draco star
Simplified finder chart for NGC 6543 (Cat's Eye Nebula) - Planetary Nebula in Draco.

Finder chart NGC 6543 (Cat's Eye Nebula) - Planetary Nebula in Draco star
Simplified finder chart for NGC 6543 (Cat's Eye Nebula) - Planetary Nebula in Draco.

Rise ans set times of NGC 6543 from your location

Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London

NGC 6543 (Cat's Eye Nebula) - Planetary Nebula in Draco is circumpolar and transits at 12:54 UTC (altitude: 74.8°)