The Cat's Eye Nebula (NGC 6543) is one of the best known planetary nebulae in the sky.
About 6 light-years across, which surrounds the brighter, familiar planetary nebula. Made with narrow and broadband data the composite picture shows the remarkably strong extended emission from twice ionized oxygen atoms in blue-green hues and ionized hydrogen and nitrogen in red.
Planetary nebulae have long been appreciated as a final phase in the life of a sun-like star.
But recently many planetaries have been found to have halos like this one, likely formed of material shrugged off during earlier active episodes in the star's evolution.
While the planetary nebula phase is thought to last for around 10,000 years, astronomers estimate the age of the outer filamentary portions of this halo to be 50,000 to 90,000 years.(NASA)
The galaxy on the left is NGC6552 which is 1 X 0.6 ARCMINUTES
Meade 12" LX200 classic scope.
Starizona F7.5 corrector.
Hutech Idas LPS filter.
HA-L-O3-HA(R)GB
Hydrogen Alpha as Luminance - 12 Hrs (BIN1)
Luminance 3 HR
O3 - 5 HRS (BIN2)
2 Hrs for RGB (BIN2)
Total of 20 Hrs.
Mount - ASA DDM 60 PRO
NO GUIDING :)
Camera - SBIG ST8300M with BAADER filters.
Imaged from my home observatory in Gan-Yavne, Israel