What to image in April with the Vaonis Vespera 3

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 Vespera 3 gets a solid image of 22 of them in under an hour each; 23 need longer, or a darker sky, or several nights. Times below use the recommended filter and 10 s subs.

Solid image with the Vaonis Vespera 3, 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
Omega CentauriCentaurus	Globular cluster	5 min30 subs	5 min30 subs	5 min30 subs
M3Canes Venatici	Globular cluster	5 min32 subs	9 min56 subs	23 min138 subs
M5Serpens	Globular cluster	5 min33 subs	10 min59 subs	24 min146 subs
Carina NebulaCarina	Emission nebula	6 min39 subs	12 min71 subs	30 min178 subs
Ghost of JupiterHydra	Planetary nebula	7 min43 subs	12 min71 subs	28 min168 subs
Spindle GalaxyDraco	Galaxy	13 min77 subs	23 min136 subs	57 min340 subs
M94Canes Venatici	Galaxy	14 min86 subs	27 min162 subs	1 h 11 min426 subs
M68Hydra	Globular cluster	16 min95 subs	30 min182 subs	1 h 20 min481 subs
Black Eye GalaxyComa Berenices	Galaxy	17 min103 subs	33 min197 subs	1 h 27 min520 subs
M53Coma Berenices	Globular cluster	17 min104 subs	34 min203 subs	1 h 31 min545 subs
M66Leo	Galaxy	20 min123 subs	39 min235 subs	1 h 44 min625 subs
Centaurus ACentaurus	Galaxy	20 min118 subs	39 min236 subs	1 h 47 min641 subs
Southern PinwheelHydra	Galaxy	22 min135 subs	45 min268 subs	2 h 02 min730 subs
Sombrero GalaxyVirgo	Galaxy	23 min139 subs	45 min270 subs	2 h722 subs
M59Virgo	Galaxy	24 min146 subs	46 min276 subs	2 h 01 min727 subs
M65Leo	Galaxy	25 min152 subs	50 min299 subs	2 h 14 min807 subs
Owl NebulaUrsa Major	Planetary nebula	27 min161 subs	51 min308 subs	2 h 16 min815 subs
Whale GalaxyCanes Venatici	Galaxy	26 min154 subs	52 min313 subs	2 h 23 min861 subs
Whirlpool GalaxyCanes Venatici	Galaxy	28 min168 subs	56 min336 subs	2 h 33 min916 subs
M60Virgo	Galaxy	29 min175 subs	56 min339 subs	2 h 31 min906 subs
M105Leo	Galaxy	29 min177 subs	57 min342 subs	2 h 32 min911 subs
M87Virgo	Galaxy	30 min183 subs	1 h360 subs	2 h 41 min969 subs
M106Canes Venatici	Galaxy	30 min182 subs	1 h 02 min373 subs	2 h 52 min1,032 subs
Needle GalaxyComa Berenices	Galaxy	31 min184 subs	1 h 03 min378 subs	2 h 55 min1,048 subs
M49Virgo	Galaxy	33 min198 subs	1 h 06 min397 subs	3 h 01 min1,085 subs
M84Virgo	Galaxy	38 min231 subs	1 h 16 min456 subs	3 h 25 min1,232 subs
M85Coma Berenices	Galaxy	40 min243 subs	1 h 20 min482 subs	3 h 38 min1,309 subs
M108Ursa Major	Galaxy	41 min245 subs	1 h 22 min495 subs	3 h 46 min1,358 subs
M89Virgo	Galaxy	42 min250 subs	1 h 23 min497 subs	3 h 44 min1,347 subs
M86Virgo	Galaxy	41 min247 subs	1 h 23 min501 subs	3 h 49 min1,376 subs
M96Leo	Galaxy	46 min275 subs	1 h 32 min554 subs	4 h 13 min1,519 subs
Sunflower GalaxyCanes Venatici	Galaxy	45 min273 subs	1 h 34 min567 subs	4 h 24 min1,582 subs
M88Coma Berenices	Galaxy	52 min311 subs	1 h 45 min629 subs	4 h 48 min1,728 subs
Antennae GalaxiesCorvus	Galaxy	56 min339 subs	1 h 54 min687 subs	5 h 15 min1,889 subs
M100Coma Berenices	Galaxy	1 h 05 min391 subs	2 h 14 min803 subs	6 h 11 min2,226 subs
Hamburger GalaxyLeo	Galaxy	1 h 07 min404 subs	2 h 24 min863 subs	6 h 48 min2,450 subs
M90Virgo	Galaxy	1 h 09 min415 subs	2 h 25 min870 subs	6 h 47 min2,440 subs
M58Virgo	Galaxy	1 h 12 min435 subs	2 h 29 min896 subs	6 h 55 min2,488 subs
M99Coma Berenices	Galaxy	1 h 18 min466 subs	2 h 40 min963 subs	7 h 27 min2,681 subs
M61Virgo	Galaxy	1 h 26 min517 subs	2 h 59 min1,074 subs	8 h 20 min3,001 subs
M95Leo	Galaxy	1 h 35 min573 subs	3 h 21 min1,205 subs	9 h 24 min3,387 subs
M98Coma Berenices	Galaxy	1 h 42 min612 subs	3 h 38 min1,306 subs	10 h3,704 subs
M109Ursa Major	Galaxy	1 h 43 min619 subs	3 h 38 min1,308 subs	10 h3,689 subs
M91Coma Berenices	Galaxy	1 h 45 min630 subs	3 h 40 min1,323 subs	10 h3,720 subs
Pinwheel GalaxyUrsa Major	Galaxy	2 h 01 min726 subs	4 h 24 min1,586 subs	13 h4,557 subs

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

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