Cat’s Eye Nebula
Planetary nebula

Cat’s Eye Nebula

C 6 · Draco
These photons are ~3,300 years old
UV/IR
Date
2026-03-22
Location
52.7618° N, 2.3775° W
Integration
36m (217 × 10s)
Software
ZWO Seestar app
Notes
—
Plate solve
Centre RA
18h 00m 42.9s
Centre Dec
+66° 33′ 35″
Field
42.8′ × 76.1′
Pixel scale
1.19″/px
Orientation
73.7° E of N
TelescopeZWO Seestar S50
CameraZWO Seestar S50 Camera
RigFamily Holiday Rig
Captured from · United Kingdom
52.7618° N, 2.3775° W · open map ↗

Where to find it

Interactive sky chart centred on 18 00 42.9 +66 33 35, with constellation stick figures overlaid. Locate shows the whole constellation with the target ringed; Field zooms to the close-up. Drag to pan, scroll to zoom, click any star to identify it. Imagery: DSS colour survey via CDS Aladin Lite. Constellation figures © Dominic Ford (GPLv3).

One of the most complex and structurally rich planetary nebulae known, with concentric shells, jets, knots, and arcs within the main disc. Deep imaging reveals at least eleven outer halos. Circumpolar from the UK.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of object is C 6?
C 6 is a planetary nebula.
Which constellation is C 6 in?
C 6 lies in the constellation Draco.
How far away is C 6?
The light in this image left C 6 roughly ~3,300 years ago, so that is how far back in time you are seeing it.
What are the coordinates of C 6?
C 6 sits at right ascension 18h 00m 43s and declination +66° 33′ 35″ (J2000).
When is the best time to photograph C 6?
C 6 is circumpolar from around 54°N — it never sets, and rides highest (about 77° altitude) on evenings around June.
What equipment was used to photograph C 6?
This image of C 6 was captured with ZWO Seestar S50 and ZWO Seestar S50 Camera.
How much exposure time went into this image?
This image of C 6 represents 36m (217 × 10s) of total integration time.