What to image in April with the DwarfLab Draco

Peak galaxy season: Whirlpool, Pinwheel, Sombrero, the Leo Triplet and the Virgo cluster all transit in the evening. Broadband targets mean the dual-band filter stays off and dark skies pay double. Nights are shortening fast at northern latitudes.

Moon in April 2027: new on 7 Apr, full on 20 Apr. Broadband targets (galaxies, clusters) want the week either side of new; emission nebulae behind a dual-band filter tolerate the rest.

45 targets transit near midnight in April. From a suburban sky the Draco gets a solid image of 25 of them in under an hour each; 20 need longer, or a darker sky, or several nights. Times below use the recommended filter and 30 s subs.

Solid image with the DwarfLab Draco, sorted by the Bortle 6 figure. Each link opens the full Bortle 1 to 9 table with sub-length and filter comparisons.
Target	Type	Bortle 4	Bortle 6	Bortle 8
M3Canes Venatici	Globular cluster	15 min30 subs	15 min30 subs	20 min40 subs
M5Serpens	Globular cluster	15 min30 subs	15 min30 subs	21 min43 subs
Omega CentauriCentaurus	Globular cluster	15 min30 subs	15 min30 subs	15 min30 subs
Carina NebulaCarina, dual-band	Emission nebula	15 min30 subs	15 min30 subs	15 min30 subs
Ghost of JupiterHydra, dual-band	Planetary nebula	15 min30 subs	15 min30 subs	15 min30 subs
Spindle GalaxyDraco	Galaxy	15 min30 subs	19 min39 subs	49 min98 subs
M94Canes Venatici	Galaxy	15 min30 subs	23 min47 subs	1 h 01 min123 subs
M68Hydra	Globular cluster	15 min30 subs	26 min53 subs	1 h 09 min139 subs
Black Eye GalaxyComa Berenices	Galaxy	15 min30 subs	28 min57 subs	1 h 15 min150 subs
M53Coma Berenices	Globular cluster	15 min30 subs	29 min59 subs	1 h 18 min157 subs
Owl NebulaUrsa Major, dual-band	Planetary nebula	24 min48 subs	30 min61 subs	53 min106 subs
M66Leo	Galaxy	17 min35 subs	34 min68 subs	1 h 30 min180 subs
Centaurus ACentaurus	Galaxy	17 min34 subs	34 min68 subs	1 h 32 min185 subs
Southern PinwheelHydra	Galaxy	19 min39 subs	38 min77 subs	1 h 45 min211 subs
Sombrero GalaxyVirgo	Galaxy	20 min40 subs	39 min78 subs	1 h 44 min208 subs
M59Virgo	Galaxy	21 min42 subs	40 min80 subs	1 h 45 min210 subs
M65Leo	Galaxy	21 min43 subs	43 min86 subs	1 h 56 min233 subs
Whale GalaxyCanes Venatici	Galaxy	22 min44 subs	45 min90 subs	2 h 04 min249 subs
Whirlpool GalaxyCanes Venatici	Galaxy	24 min48 subs	48 min97 subs	2 h 12 min264 subs
M60Virgo	Galaxy	25 min50 subs	49 min98 subs	2 h 10 min261 subs
M105Leo	Galaxy	25 min51 subs	49 min98 subs	2 h 11 min263 subs
M87Virgo	Galaxy	26 min52 subs	51 min103 subs	2 h 20 min280 subs
M106Canes Venatici	Galaxy	26 min52 subs	53 min107 subs	2 h 29 min298 subs
Needle GalaxyComa Berenices	Galaxy	26 min53 subs	54 min109 subs	2 h 31 min302 subs
M49Virgo	Galaxy	28 min56 subs	57 min114 subs	2 h 36 min313 subs
M84Virgo	Galaxy	33 min66 subs	1 h 05 min131 subs	2 h 58 min356 subs
M85Coma Berenices	Galaxy	34 min69 subs	1 h 09 min138 subs	3 h 09 min378 subs
M108Ursa Major	Galaxy	35 min70 subs	1 h 11 min142 subs	3 h 16 min392 subs
M89Virgo	Galaxy	35 min71 subs	1 h 11 min143 subs	3 h 14 min389 subs
M86Virgo	Galaxy	35 min71 subs	1 h 12 min144 subs	3 h 18 min397 subs
M96Leo	Galaxy	39 min78 subs	1 h 19 min159 subs	3 h 39 min438 subs
Sunflower GalaxyCanes Venatici	Galaxy	39 min78 subs	1 h 21 min163 subs	3 h 48 min456 subs
M88Coma Berenices	Galaxy	44 min89 subs	1 h 30 min181 subs	4 h 09 min499 subs
Antennae GalaxiesCorvus	Galaxy	48 min96 subs	1 h 38 min197 subs	4 h 32 min545 subs
M100Coma Berenices	Galaxy	55 min111 subs	1 h 55 min230 subs	5 h 21 min642 subs
Hamburger GalaxyLeo	Galaxy	57 min115 subs	2 h 04 min248 subs	5 h 53 min706 subs
M90Virgo	Galaxy	59 min118 subs	2 h 04 min249 subs	5 h 52 min704 subs
M58Virgo	Galaxy	1 h 02 min124 subs	2 h 08 min257 subs	5 h 59 min718 subs
M99Coma Berenices	Galaxy	1 h 06 min132 subs	2 h 18 min276 subs	6 h 26 min773 subs
M61Virgo	Galaxy	1 h 13 min147 subs	2 h 34 min308 subs	7 h 12 min865 subs
M95Leo	Galaxy	1 h 21 min163 subs	2 h 52 min345 subs	8 h 08 min977 subs
M98Coma Berenices	Galaxy	1 h 27 min174 subs	3 h 07 min374 subs	8 h 54 min1,068 subs
M109Ursa Major	Galaxy	1 h 28 min176 subs	3 h 07 min375 subs	8 h 52 min1,064 subs
M91Coma Berenices	Galaxy	1 h 29 min179 subs	3 h 09 min379 subs	8 h 56 min1,073 subs
Pinwheel GalaxyUrsa Major	Galaxy	1 h 43 min206 subs	3 h 47 min454 subs	11 h1,314 subs

Other telescopes in April: Seestar S50 · Seestar S50 Pro · Seestar S30 · Seestar S30 Pro · DWARF 3 · DWARF mini · DWARF II · Vespera II · Vespera Pro · Vespera 3 · Vespera Pro 2 · eQuinox 2 · Odyssey · Origin · Origin Mark II

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