Cat's Eye (NGC 6543) Imaging tips? Or alternative suggestions as limited to anything around 30 degrees and above the horizon.

[Cumbrianwolf]

As the moon will rise at around 19:00, and I am hoping it will not affect my imaging until around an hour or two later, do you think I will get enough time on NGC 6543?

Also, is this a doable image for a beginner or am I just taking too much on, I am wanting to image something tonight that is not overly complex or large, current set up just fits M31 into the frame via a corner to corner angle (EOS 7D APS-C). Orion's Nebulae is not in frame until much later on in the night and probably washed out by the moon. 

[paul]

I've imaged this with my DSLR - my results weren't great but I lacked patience, Its a doable but small target.

[paul]

What about M1?

[Padraic M]

Cat's Eye is TINY! 20" x 30". I make it that your pixel scale with that scope and camera is 0.87"/px so Cat's Eye will be about 30 pixels by 40.

 

In that part of the sky, you could try the Iris nebula? It will fil your frame. Or, the Bubble Nebula is my go-to target for testing. It's a fascinating sight to see and is usually high in the sky.

[Cumbrianwolf]

OK I found out that it was not going to work for those images, so I am looking at M1 as suggested above as I do not fancy putting the Barlow on the camera and having to refocus it all over. What I did get looked just like a blue star, but as was said it is so tiny.

Edited January 20, 2022 by Cumbrianwolf

[Cumbrianwolf]

2 hours ago, paul said:

What about M1?

Going with as many 1 min subs on this subject as I can get, that seems to be the best exposure times. I can see the image getting a red glow as the sensor warms up, at least that is what I think it happening.

Edited January 20, 2022 by Cumbrianwolf