Best deep-sky targets in February
Galaxies, nebulae and clusters that are well placed for imaging in February, from northern and southern latitudes. A target makes the list when it spends at least an hour above 30° in astronomical darkness on February 15 and is either in its best season or up for most of the dark night.
New moon in February
The darkest nights fall around the new moon: , and (UTC). Galaxies and faint dust need those nights. Emission nebulae can be imaged with the moon up using a narrowband or dual-band filter. See the new moon calendar for dark weeks, or the dark sky calendar for moon-free hours at your location.
From 45° N
45° N is about the latitude of Minneapolis, Bordeaux and Milan. On February 15 a well-placed target can stay above 30° for up to 10.3 hours of astronomical darkness, and 72 targets are well placed. Top picks: Beehive Cluster (M 44), Bode's Galaxy (M 81), Pinwheel Galaxy (M 101), Cigar Galaxy (M 82).
Coming into season this month: Pinwheel Galaxy, Whirlpool Galaxy, Black Eye Galaxy, Sunflower Galaxy, Virgo Galaxy, Whale Galaxy, Hamburger Galaxy, Coma Pinwheel and 33 more.
Galaxies 58
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| M 81Bode's Galaxy | Galaxy | 10.3 h | 66° |
| M 101new this monthPinwheel Galaxy | Galaxy | 7.7 h | 81° |
| M 82Cigar Galaxy | Galaxy | 10.3 h | 65° |
| M 51new this monthWhirlpool Galaxy | Galaxy | 7.7 h | 88° |
| M 64new this monthBlack Eye Galaxy | Galaxy | 6.7 h | 67° |
| M 104Sombrero Galaxy | Galaxy | 2.8 h | 33° |
| M 63new this monthSunflower Galaxy | Galaxy | 7.7 h | 87° |
| M 87new this monthVirgo Galaxy | Galaxy | 6.5 h | 57° |
| NGC 3115Spindle Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.3 h | 37° |
| NGC 3521Bubble Galaxy | Galaxy | 6.0 h | 45° |
48 more galaxies
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 4631new this monthWhale Galaxy | Galaxy | 7.7 h | 78° |
| NGC 3628new this monthHamburger Galaxy | Galaxy | 7.8 h | 59° |
| NGC 2683UFO Galaxy | Galaxy | 9.3 h | 78° |
| M 99new this monthComa Pinwheel | Galaxy | 6.8 h | 59° |
| M 102new this monthSpindle Galaxy | Galaxy | 6.8 h | 79° |
| NGC 5907new this monthSplinter Galaxy | Galaxy | 6.7 h | 79° |
| IC 2574Coddington's Nebula | Galaxy | 10.3 h | 67° |
| NGC 4565new this monthNeedle Galaxy | Galaxy | 7.3 h | 71° |
| NGC 4656new this monthHockey Stick Galaxy | Galaxy pair | 7.5 h | 77° |
| M 94new this month | Galaxy | 8.0 h | 86° |
| M 49new this month | Galaxy | 6.2 h | 53° |
| NGC 2403 | Galaxy | 10.3 h | 69° |
| M 60new this month | Galaxy | 6.3 h | 57° |
| M 66new this month | Galaxy | 7.8 h | 58° |
| M 86new this month | Galaxy | 6.7 h | 58° |
| M 85new this month | Galaxy | 7.0 h | 63° |
| M 96 | Galaxy | 7.8 h | 57° |
| M 105 | Galaxy | 8.0 h | 58° |
| M 106 | Galaxy | 8.8 h | 88° |
| M 65new this month | Galaxy | 7.8 h | 58° |
| NGC 4697new this month | Galaxy | 4.7 h | 39° |
| NGC 4725new this month | Galaxy | 7.0 h | 71° |
| M 100new this month | Galaxy | 6.8 h | 61° |
| M 90new this month | Galaxy | 6.5 h | 58° |
| M 59new this month | Galaxy | 6.3 h | 57° |
| NGC 4449new this month | Galaxy | 8.5 h | 89° |
| M 84new this month | Galaxy | 6.7 h | 58° |
| M 95 | Galaxy | 7.8 h | 57° |
| NGC 4236 | Galaxy | 10.3 h | 66° |
| M 109 | Galaxy | 9.7 h | 82° |
| NGC 4216new this month | Galaxy | 6.8 h | 58° |
| NGC 4559new this month | Galaxy | 7.5 h | 73° |
| NGC 3344 | Galaxy | 9.2 h | 70° |
| M 108 | Galaxy | 10.3 h | 79° |
| M 89new this month | Galaxy | 6.5 h | 58° |
| NGC 2775 | Galaxy | 7.2 h | 52° |
| NGC 2841 | Galaxy | 10.3 h | 84° |
| NGC 4244new this month | Galaxy | 8.3 h | 83° |
| M 58new this month | Galaxy | 6.3 h | 57° |
| M 61new this month | Galaxy | 6.2 h | 49° |
| M 88new this month | Galaxy | 6.7 h | 59° |
| NGC 4088 | Galaxy | 9.3 h | 84° |
| NGC 5005new this month | Galaxy | 7.3 h | 82° |
| NGC 5033new this month | Galaxy | 7.3 h | 82° |
| M 98new this month | Galaxy | 7.0 h | 60° |
| M 91new this month | Galaxy | 6.7 h | 59° |
| NGC 3626new this month | Galaxy | 8.2 h | 63° |
| NGC 4889new this month | Galaxy | 7.0 h | 73° |
Nebulae 4
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 2392Eskimo Nebula | Planetary nebula | 7.3 h | 66° |
| M 97Owl Nebula | Planetary nebula | 10.3 h | 80° |
| IC 2177Seagull Nebula | Reflection nebula | 3.3 h | 35° |
| NGC 2359Thor's Helmet | Emission nebula | 2.2 h | 32° |
Star clusters 10
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| M 44Beehive Cluster | Open cluster | 8.3 h | 65° |
| M 47 | Open cluster | 1.0 h | 31° |
| M 48 | Open cluster | 4.7 h | 39° |
| M 50 | Open cluster | 4.0 h | 37° |
| M 3new this month | Globular cluster | 6.3 h | 73° |
| M 67 | Open cluster | 7.8 h | 57° |
| NGC 2506 | Open cluster | 3.2 h | 34° |
| M 53new this month | Globular cluster | 6.2 h | 63° |
| NGC 188 | Open cluster | 10.3 h | 50° |
| NGC 2419 | Globular cluster | 8.5 h | 84° |
From 35° S
35° S is about the latitude of Sydney, Cape Town and Buenos Aires. On February 15 a well-placed target can stay above 30° for up to 7.5 hours of astronomical darkness, and 49 targets are well placed. Top picks: Omicron Velorum Cluster (IC 2391), Carina Nebula (NGC 3372), Wishing Well Cluster (NGC 3532), Beehive Cluster (M 44).
Coming into season this month: Omega Centauri, Coalsack Cluster, Bubble Galaxy, Hamburger Galaxy, Antennae Galaxies, Antennae Galaxies, Coalsack Nebula, Herschel's Jewel Box and 12 more.
Galaxies 16
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 3115Spindle Galaxy | Galaxy | 7.5 h | 63° |
| NGC 3521new this monthBubble Galaxy | Galaxy | 6.2 h | 55° |
| NGC 3628new this monthHamburger Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 41° |
| NGC 4038new this monthAntennae Galaxies | Galaxy | 6.0 h | 74° |
| NGC 4039new this monthAntennae Galaxies | Galaxy | 6.0 h | 74° |
| M 66new this month | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 42° |
| M 85new this month | Galaxy | 3.2 h | 37° |
| M 96new this month | Galaxy | 5.2 h | 43° |
| M 105new this month | Galaxy | 5.2 h | 42° |
| M 65new this month | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 42° |
6 more galaxies
Nebulae 11
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 3372Carina Nebula | Emission nebula | 7.5 h | 65° |
| IC 2944Running Chicken Nebula | Cluster with nebula | 7.5 h | 62° |
| NGC 2070Tarantula Nebula | Emission nebula | 5.8 h | 56° |
| NGC 3242Jupiter's Ghost Nebula | Planetary nebula | 7.5 h | 74° |
| NGC 3132Eight-Burst Nebula | Planetary nebula | 7.5 h | 85° |
| NGC 2392Eskimo Nebula | Planetary nebula | 2.8 h | 34° |
| C 99new this monthCoalsack Nebula | Dark nebula | 7.3 h | 61° |
| NGC 2359Thor's Helmet | Emission nebula | 5.3 h | 68° |
| NGC 3576Statue of Liberty Nebula | Emission nebula | 7.5 h | 64° |
| NGC 2867 | Planetary nebula | 7.5 h | 67° |
1 more nebulae
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 3195 | Planetary nebula | 7.5 h | 44° |
Star clusters 22
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| IC 2391Omicron Velorum Cluster | Open cluster | 7.5 h | 72° |
| NGC 3532Wishing Well Cluster | Open cluster | 7.5 h | 66° |
| M 44Beehive Cluster | Open cluster | 3.5 h | 35° |
| NGC 3766Pearl Cluster | Open cluster | 7.5 h | 63° |
| NGC 5139new this monthOmega Centauri | Globular cluster | 5.7 h | 78° |
| NGC 4609new this monthCoalsack Cluster | Open cluster | 7.2 h | 62° |
| NGC 2360Caroline's Cluster | Open cluster | 5.3 h | 71° |
| IC 2602Southern Pleiades | Open cluster | 7.5 h | 61° |
| NGC 4755new this monthHerschel's Jewel Box | Open cluster | 6.8 h | 65° |
| NGC 2516 | Open cluster | 7.5 h | 64° |
12 more star clusters
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 2362 | Open cluster | 5.8 h | 80° |
| M 47 | Open cluster | 5.7 h | 69° |
| M 48 | Open cluster | 5.8 h | 61° |
| NGC 2477 | Open cluster | 6.8 h | 86° |
| M 46 | Open cluster | 5.7 h | 70° |
| M 93 | Open cluster | 6.2 h | 79° |
| M 67 | Open cluster | 5.3 h | 43° |
| NGC 2506 | Open cluster | 5.8 h | 66° |
| NGC 4833new this month | Globular cluster | 7.3 h | 54° |
| M 68new this month | Globular cluster | 5.7 h | 82° |
| NGC 3201 | Globular cluster | 7.5 h | 79° |
| NGC 4372 | Globular cluster | 7.5 h | 52° |
Filters for February's nebulae
11 of February's picks are emission nebulae, including the Eskimo Nebula, the Owl Nebula, the Thor's Helmet. With a dual-band filter on a color camera they stay workable on the moonlit nights between the dark weeks.
- Optolong L-Ultimate 3 nm 3 nm dual-band, Ha, OIII, for color cameras View at High Point Scientific
- Antlia ALP-T 5 nm 5 nm dual-band, Ha, OIII, for color cameras View at High Point Scientific
- Optolong L-eXtreme 7 nm 7 nm dual-band, Ha, OIII, for color cameras View at High Point Scientific
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How this list is made
For each of the 272 targets in the target guide, the time spent above 30° while the sun is more than 18° below the horizon is worked out for the night of February 15, at 45° N and 35° S. A target is listed if it gets at least an hour and either has at least 80% of its best month's hours, or is up for at least 75% of the longest time any target gets that night. The first rule keeps low targets such as the Orion Nebula from northern sites; the second keeps summer targets whose best month is later only because the nights get longer.
Named and brighter objects are listed first. "Highest" is the altitude at which the target crosses the meridian, which may fall outside the dark hours. The moon is not counted here. The stars rise about four minutes earlier each night, so on the 1st each target reaches a given spot in the sky about an hour later in the night than on the 15th, and at the end of the month about an hour earlier. For your own location and date, open the imaging planner.