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@stro objects

NGC 6543 (Cat's Eye Nebula)

The @stro object for the week of 10/11/1999

image of NGC 6543

image courtesy of SEDS/HST

The Cat's Eye. NGC 6543, or The Cat's Eye Nebula, is one of the most complex nebulae in the category of "planetary nebula". Planetary nebula are formed by the expulsion of a shell of gas by a star in the later stages of its existence. This gas is lit by its interactions with radiation from the star. The central star in NGC 6543 might actually be a binary system and this nebula might be the result of two events.

Current physical information for NGC 6543 (northern hemisphere):
Constellation: Draco
Rise: always up
Set: does not set
Magnitude: 8.3
Phase: not applicable

more info...

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