Best deep-sky targets in May
Galaxies, nebulae and clusters that are well placed for imaging in May, from northern and southern latitudes. A target makes the list when it spends at least an hour above 30° in astronomical darkness on May 15 and is either in its best season or up for most of the dark night.
New moon in May
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 May 15 a well-placed target can stay above 30° for up to 4.8 hours of astronomical darkness, and 50 targets are well placed. Top picks: Hercules Cluster (M 13), Bode's Galaxy (M 81), Iris Nebula (NGC 7023), Pinwheel Galaxy (M 101).
Coming into season this month: Iris Nebula, Ring Nebula, Fireworks Galaxy, Blinking Planetary, M 10, M 14, M 56, M 107 and 1 more.
Galaxies 33
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| M 81Bode's Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 66° |
| M 101Pinwheel Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 81° |
| M 82Cigar Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 65° |
| M 51Whirlpool Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 88° |
| M 64Black Eye Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.5 h | 67° |
| M 63Sunflower Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 87° |
| NGC 6946new this monthFireworks Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.5 h | 75° |
| NGC 4631Whale Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 78° |
| M 102Spindle Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 79° |
| NGC 5907Splinter Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 79° |
23 more galaxies
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| IC 2574Coddington's Nebula | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 67° |
| NGC 4565Needle Galaxy | Galaxy | 4.5 h | 71° |
| NGC 4656Hockey Stick Galaxy | Galaxy pair | 4.8 h | 77° |
| M 94 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 86° |
| M 60 | Galaxy | 3.7 h | 57° |
| M 85 | Galaxy | 3.8 h | 63° |
| M 106 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 88° |
| NGC 4725 | Galaxy | 4.7 h | 71° |
| M 90 | Galaxy | 3.7 h | 58° |
| M 59 | Galaxy | 3.7 h | 57° |
| NGC 4449 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 89° |
| NGC 4236 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 66° |
| M 109 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 82° |
| NGC 4559 | Galaxy | 4.5 h | 73° |
| NGC 5248 | Galaxy | 4.3 h | 54° |
| M 108 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 79° |
| NGC 4244 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 83° |
| M 88 | Galaxy | 3.7 h | 59° |
| NGC 4088 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 84° |
| NGC 5005 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 82° |
| NGC 5033 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 82° |
| M 91 | Galaxy | 3.7 h | 59° |
| NGC 4889 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 73° |
Nebulae 6
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 7023new this monthIris Nebula | Nebula | 4.8 h | 67° |
| M 57new this monthRing Nebula | Planetary nebula | 4.2 h | 78° |
| NGC 6543Cat's Eye Nebula | Planetary nebula | 4.8 h | 68° |
| NGC 6826new this monthBlinking Planetary | Planetary nebula | 4.5 h | 84° |
| M 97Owl Nebula | Planetary nebula | 4.8 h | 80° |
| NGC 7129new this month | Cluster with nebula | 4.2 h | 69° |
Star clusters 11
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| M 13Hercules Cluster | Globular cluster | 4.8 h | 81° |
| M 10new this month | Globular cluster | 3.5 h | 41° |
| M 14new this month | Globular cluster | 2.8 h | 42° |
| M 5 | Globular cluster | 4.8 h | 47° |
| M 12 | Globular cluster | 3.8 h | 43° |
| M 3 | Globular cluster | 4.8 h | 73° |
| M 92 | Globular cluster | 4.8 h | 88° |
| M 53 | Globular cluster | 4.5 h | 63° |
| NGC 188 | Open cluster | 4.8 h | 50° |
| M 56new this month | Globular cluster | 3.7 h | 75° |
1 more star clusters
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| M 107new this month | Globular cluster | 2.2 h | 32° |
From 35° S
35° S is about the latitude of Sydney, Cape Town and Buenos Aires. On May 15 a well-placed target can stay above 30° for up to 10.8 hours of astronomical darkness, and 72 targets are well placed. Top picks: Ptolemy's Cluster (M 7), Blue Horsehead Nebula (IC 4592), Butterfly Cluster (M 6), Running Chicken Nebula (IC 2944).
Coming into season this month: Ptolemy's Cluster, Blue Horsehead Nebula, Butterfly Cluster, Rho Ophiuchi region, Lagoon Nebula, Eagle Nebula, Dumbbell Nebula, Bug Nebula and 19 more.
Galaxies 25
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| M 83Southern Pinwheel Galaxy | Galaxy | 8.3 h | 85° |
| NGC 5128Centaurus A | Galaxy | 8.7 h | 82° |
| M 64Black Eye Galaxy | Galaxy | 2.8 h | 33° |
| M 104Sombrero Galaxy | Galaxy | 6.7 h | 67° |
| M 87Virgo Galaxy | Galaxy | 5.0 h | 43° |
| M 99Coma Pinwheel | Galaxy | 4.7 h | 41° |
| M 49 | Galaxy | 5.3 h | 47° |
| M 60 | Galaxy | 5.3 h | 43° |
| M 86 | Galaxy | 5.0 h | 42° |
| M 85 | Galaxy | 4.0 h | 37° |
15 more galaxies
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 4697 | Galaxy | 6.5 h | 61° |
| M 100 | Galaxy | 4.5 h | 39° |
| M 90 | Galaxy | 5.2 h | 42° |
| M 59 | Galaxy | 5.3 h | 43° |
| M 84 | Galaxy | 5.0 h | 42° |
| NGC 4216 | Galaxy | 4.7 h | 42° |
| NGC 5248 | Galaxy | 5.8 h | 46° |
| M 89 | Galaxy | 5.2 h | 42° |
| M 58 | Galaxy | 5.2 h | 43° |
| M 61 | Galaxy | 5.5 h | 51° |
| M 88 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 41° |
| M 98 | Galaxy | 4.5 h | 40° |
| M 91 | Galaxy | 4.8 h | 41° |
| NGC 3626 | Galaxy | 3.2 h | 37° |
| NGC 4945 | Galaxy | 8.5 h | 76° |
Nebulae 14
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| IC 4592new this monthBlue Horsehead Nebula | Reflection nebula | 8.8 h | 74° |
| IC 2944Running Chicken Nebula | Cluster with nebula | 7.7 h | 62° |
| IC 4604new this monthRho Ophiuchi region | Nebula | 9.0 h | 78° |
| M 8new this monthLagoon Nebula | Nebula | 7.5 h | 79° |
| M 16new this monthEagle Nebula | Nebula | 6.8 h | 69° |
| M 27new this monthDumbbell Nebula | Planetary nebula | 2.0 h | 32° |
| NGC 6302new this monthBug Nebula | Planetary nebula | 8.7 h | 88° |
| C 99Coalsack Nebula | Dark nebula | 8.7 h | 61° |
| NGC 3576Statue of Liberty Nebula | Emission nebula | 7.2 h | 64° |
| NGC 6188Fighting Dragons of Ara | Nebula | 9.7 h | 76° |
4 more nebulae
Star clusters 33
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| M 7new this monthPtolemy's Cluster | Open cluster | 8.0 h | 90° |
| M 6new this monthButterfly Cluster | Open cluster | 8.2 h | 87° |
| NGC 3766Pearl Cluster | Open cluster | 7.7 h | 63° |
| NGC 5139Omega Centauri | Globular cluster | 8.8 h | 78° |
| NGC 6087S Nor Cluster | Open cluster | 10.5 h | 67° |
| NGC 4609Coalsack Cluster | Open cluster | 8.8 h | 62° |
| NGC 4755Herschel's Jewel Box | Open cluster | 8.8 h | 65° |
| NGC 6231new this month | Open cluster | 9.2 h | 83° |
| M 10new this month | Globular cluster | 7.5 h | 59° |
| NGC 6025 | Open cluster | 10.8 h | 65° |
23 more star clusters
| Target | Type | Dark hours above 30° | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 6397new this month | Globular cluster | 8.8 h | 71° |
| M 4new this month | Globular cluster | 9.2 h | 82° |
| M 23new this month | Open cluster | 7.3 h | 74° |
| M 19new this month | Globular cluster | 8.5 h | 81° |
| M 14new this month | Globular cluster | 7.0 h | 58° |
| NGC 6124new this month | Open cluster | 9.7 h | 84° |
| M 21new this month | Open cluster | 7.3 h | 77° |
| M 5 | Globular cluster | 6.8 h | 53° |
| M 12new this month | Globular cluster | 7.2 h | 57° |
| M 80new this month | Globular cluster | 9.2 h | 78° |
| M 62new this month | Globular cluster | 8.7 h | 85° |
| M 53 | Globular cluster | 4.0 h | 37° |
| NGC 4833 | Globular cluster | 9.5 h | 54° |
| NGC 5823 | Open cluster | 10.8 h | 69° |
| M 68 | Globular cluster | 7.3 h | 82° |
| NGC 5286 | Globular cluster | 9.3 h | 74° |
| M 9new this month | Globular cluster | 8.0 h | 74° |
| M 107new this month | Globular cluster | 8.3 h | 68° |
| NGC 6352new this month | Globular cluster | 9.0 h | 77° |
| NGC 4372 | Globular cluster | 9.2 h | 52° |
| NGC 6101 | Globular cluster | 10.8 h | 53° |
| NGC 5694 | Globular cluster | 9.3 h | 82° |
| NGC 6193new this month | Open cluster | 9.7 h | 76° |
Filters for May's nebulae
12 of May's picks are emission nebulae, including the Ring Nebula, the Cat's Eye Nebula, the Blinking Planetary. 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 May 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.