What to image in May with the DwarfLab DWARF 3
The last of the galaxies with the first of the summer globulars: Hercules, M3 and M5 are bright, small and forgiving of a bright sky. Darkness is short north of about 50°, so short, bright targets suit the month.
Moon in May 2027: new on 6 May, full on 20 May. Broadband targets (galaxies, clusters) want the week either side of new; emission nebulae behind a dual-band filter tolerate the rest.
51 targets transit near midnight in May. From a suburban sky the DWARF 3 gets a solid image of 23 of them in under an hour each; 28 need longer, or a darker sky, or several nights. Times below use the recommended filter and 15 s subs.
| Target | Type | Bortle 4 | Bortle 6 | Bortle 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butterfly ClusterScorpius | Open cluster | 8 min30 subs | 8 min30 subs | 8 min34 subs |
| Ptolemy's ClusterScorpius | Open cluster | 8 min30 subs | 8 min30 subs | 8 min34 subs |
| M23Sagittarius | Open cluster | 8 min30 subs | 8 min30 subs | 8 min34 subs |
| Omega CentauriCentaurus | Globular cluster | 8 min30 subs | 8 min30 subs | 8 min30 subs |
| M92Hercules | Globular cluster | 8 min30 subs | 9 min36 subs | 21 min86 subs |
| Hercules ClusterHercules | Globular cluster | 8 min30 subs | 11 min44 subs | 27 min108 subs |
| M62Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 8 min30 subs | 12 min49 subs | 31 min123 subs |
| Cat's Eye NebulaDraco, dual-band | Planetary nebula | 12 min48 subs | 14 min57 subs | 22 min89 subs |
| Turtle NebulaHercules, dual-band | Planetary nebula | 12 min48 subs | 14 min57 subs | 22 min89 subs |
| M3Canes Venatici | Globular cluster | 8 min32 subs | 14 min57 subs | 36 min146 subs |
| M5Serpens | Globular cluster | 8 min33 subs | 15 min60 subs | 38 min154 subs |
| M80Scorpius | Globular cluster | 9 min37 subs | 16 min65 subs | 40 min161 subs |
| M12Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 11 min45 subs | 21 min85 subs | 56 min224 subs |
| M19Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 16 min63 subs | 31 min124 subs | 1 h 24 min337 subs |
| M14Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 17 min69 subs | 33 min133 subs | 1 h 29 min355 subs |
| Spindle GalaxyDraco | Galaxy | 19 min76 subs | 35 min139 subs | 1 h 29 min357 subs |
| M10Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 20 min79 subs | 40 min161 subs | 1 h 50 min442 subs |
| M94Canes Venatici | Galaxy | 21 min84 subs | 41 min166 subs | 1 h 52 min449 subs |
| M68Hydra | Globular cluster | 23 min93 subs | 46 min185 subs | 2 h 06 min506 subs |
| M9Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 24 min97 subs | 49 min198 subs | 2 h 16 min544 subs |
| Black Eye GalaxyComa Berenices | Galaxy | 25 min100 subs | 50 min201 subs | 2 h 17 min547 subs |
| M53Coma Berenices | Globular cluster | 25 min101 subs | 52 min207 subs | 2 h 23 min573 subs |
| Centaurus ACentaurus | Galaxy | 28 min114 subs | 1 h239 subs | 2 h 48 min674 subs |
| Southern PinwheelHydra | Galaxy | 32 min130 subs | 1 h 08 min273 subs | 3 h 12 min768 subs |
| Sombrero GalaxyVirgo | Galaxy | 34 min135 subs | 1 h 09 min275 subs | 3 h 10 min759 subs |
| M59Virgo | Galaxy | 35 min142 subs | 1 h 10 min281 subs | 3 h 11 min765 subs |
| Whale GalaxyCanes Venatici | Galaxy | 37 min148 subs | 1 h 19 min318 subs | 3 h 46 min906 subs |
| Whirlpool GalaxyCanes Venatici | Galaxy | 40 min161 subs | 1 h 25 min341 subs | 4 h 01 min963 subs |
| M60Virgo | Galaxy | 42 min170 subs | 1 h 26 min345 subs | 3 h 58 min953 subs |
| M107Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 40 min161 subs | 1 h 26 min345 subs | 4 h 05 min982 subs |
| M87Virgo | Galaxy | 44 min177 subs | 1 h 31 min366 subs | 4 h 15 min1,019 subs |
| M106Canes Venatici | Galaxy | 43 min174 subs | 1 h 34 min378 subs | 4 h 31 min1,086 subs |
| Needle GalaxyComa Berenices | Galaxy | 44 min176 subs | 1 h 36 min384 subs | 4 h 35 min1,102 subs |
| M49Virgo | Galaxy | 47 min190 subs | 1 h 41 min403 subs | 4 h 45 min1,142 subs |
| M4Scorpius | Globular cluster | 49 min197 subs | 1 h 48 min433 subs | 5 h 12 min1,248 subs |
| M84Virgo | Galaxy | 56 min223 subs | 1 h 56 min464 subs | 5 h 24 min1,296 subs |
| M85Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 58 min233 subs | 2 h 02 min490 subs | 5 h 44 min1,377 subs |
| M89Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h241 subs | 2 h 06 min505 subs | 5 h 54 min1,417 subs |
| M86Virgo | Galaxy | 59 min237 subs | 2 h 07 min508 subs | 6 h 02 min1,447 subs |
| Sunflower GalaxyCanes Venatici | Galaxy | 1 h 05 min259 subs | 2 h 24 min575 subs | 6 h 56 min1,664 subs |
| M88Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 1 h 14 min298 subs | 2 h 40 min639 subs | 7 h 34 min1,817 subs |
| Antennae GalaxiesCorvus | Galaxy | 1 h 21 min324 subs | 2 h 54 min697 subs | 8 h 16 min1,986 subs |
| M100Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 1 h 33 min374 subs | 3 h 24 min815 subs | 9 h 45 min2,341 subs |
| M90Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 38 min394 subs | 3 h 40 min881 subs | 11 h2,565 subs |
| M58Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 44 min415 subs | 3 h 47 min909 subs | 11 h2,617 subs |
| M99Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 1 h 51 min444 subs | 4 h 04 min977 subs | 12 h2,819 subs |
| M61Virgo | Galaxy | 2 h 03 min491 subs | 4 h 32 min1,089 subs | 13 h3,155 subs |
| M98Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 2 h 25 min579 subs | 5 h 31 min1,323 subs | 16 h3,893 subs |
| M91Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 2 h 29 min598 subs | 5 h 35 min1,341 subs | 16 h3,911 subs |
| Pinwheel GalaxyUrsa Major | Galaxy | 2 h 50 min682 subs | 6 h 41 min1,604 subs | 20 h4,789 subs |
| Abell 39Hercules, dual-band | Planetary nebula | 17 h3,985 subs | 26 h6,290 subs | 59 h14,256 subs |
Other telescopes in May: Seestar S50 · Seestar S50 Pro · Seestar S30 · Seestar S30 Pro · DWARF mini · Draco · DWARF II · Vespera II · Vespera Pro · Vespera 3 · Vespera Pro 2 · eQuinox 2 · Odyssey · Origin · Origin Mark II
Previous: April · Next: June · Tonight with the DWARF 3
Where to buy the DWARF 3DwarfLab store UKDwarfLab store USSearch Amazon UKAmazon product USThe DwarfLab store link is a plain link; the others are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you. Search links may include other models; check the exact variant and package.