How Many Subs

What to image in May with the Unistellar Odyssey

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 Odyssey gets a solid image of 13 of them in under an hour each; 38 need longer, or a darker sky, or several nights. Times below use the recommended filter and 4 s subs.

Solid image with the Unistellar Odyssey, sorted by the Bortle 6 figure. Each link opens the full Bortle 1 to 9 table with sub-length and filter comparisons.
TargetTypeBortle 4Bortle 6Bortle 8
Omega CentauriCentaurusGlobular cluster6 min87 subs7 min109 subs12 min187 subs
Butterfly ClusterScorpiusOpen cluster7 min107 subs9 min136 subs16 min237 subs
Ptolemy's ClusterScorpiusOpen cluster7 min107 subs9 min136 subs16 min237 subs
M23SagittariusOpen cluster7 min107 subs9 min136 subs16 min237 subs
M92HerculesGlobular cluster17 min255 subs22 min335 subs41 min611 subs
Hercules ClusterHerculesGlobular cluster21 min316 subs28 min419 subs52 min774 subs
M62OphiuchusGlobular cluster24 min357 subs32 min476 subs59 min884 subs
M3Canes VenaticiGlobular cluster28 min419 subs37 min560 subs1 h 10 min1,047 subs
M5SerpensGlobular cluster29 min442 subs39 min592 subs1 h 14 min1,109 subs
M80ScorpiusGlobular cluster31 min469 subs41 min622 subs1 h 17 min1,150 subs
Cat's Eye NebulaDracoPlanetary nebula35 min526 subs46 min691 subs1 h 24 min1,262 subs
Turtle NebulaHerculesPlanetary nebula35 min526 subs46 min691 subs1 h 24 min1,262 subs
M12OphiuchusGlobular cluster42 min632 subs57 min853 subs1 h 48 min1,617 subs
M19OphiuchusGlobular cluster1 h 02 min938 subs1 h 25 min1,277 subs2 h 43 min2,448 subs
M14OphiuchusGlobular cluster1 h 06 min997 subs1 h 30 min1,351 subs2 h 51 min2,572 subs
Spindle GalaxyDracoGalaxy1 h 08 min1,025 subs1 h 32 min1,374 subs2 h 52 min2,578 subs
M10OphiuchusGlobular cluster1 h 21 min1,221 subs1 h 51 min1,670 subs3 h 35 min3,222 subs
M94Canes VenaticiGalaxy1 h 23 min1,250 subs1 h 53 min1,701 subs3 h 37 min3,260 subs
M68HydraGlobular cluster1 h 34 min1,405 subs2 h 08 min1,916 subs4 h 05 min3,682 subs
M9OphiuchusGlobular cluster1 h 40 min1,502 subs2 h 17 min2,054 subs4 h 24 min3,961 subs
Black Eye GalaxyComa BerenicesGalaxy1 h 41 min1,520 subs2 h 18 min2,073 subs4 h 25 min3,982 subs
M53Coma BerenicesGlobular cluster1 h 45 min1,576 subs2 h 24 min2,160 subs4 h 38 min4,177 subs
Centaurus ACentaurusGalaxy2 h 03 min1,840 subs2 h 49 min2,532 subs5 h 28 min4,923 subs
Sombrero GalaxyVirgoGalaxy2 h 20 min2,094 subs3 h 11 min2,865 subs6 h 09 min5,531 subs
Southern PinwheelHydraGalaxy2 h 20 min2,096 subs3 h 12 min2,884 subs6 h 14 min5,607 subs
M59VirgoGalaxy2 h 22 min2,129 subs3 h 13 min2,899 subs6 h 11 min5,560 subs
Whale GalaxyCanes VenaticiGalaxy2 h 44 min2,456 subs3 h 46 min3,392 subs7 h 22 min6,629 subs
M60VirgoGalaxy2 h 55 min2,630 subs4 h3,598 subs7 h 43 min6,941 subs
Whirlpool GalaxyCanes VenaticiGalaxy2 h 55 min2,626 subs4 h 01 min3,617 subs7 h 49 min7,040 subs
M107OphiuchusGlobular cluster2 h 58 min2,666 subs4 h 05 min3,680 subs7 h 59 min7,185 subs
M87VirgoGalaxy3 h 07 min2,798 subs4 h 16 min3,839 subs8 h 16 min7,438 subs
M106Canes VenaticiGalaxy3 h 15 min2,932 subs4 h 31 min4,059 subs8 h 50 min7,953 subs
Needle GalaxyComa BerenicesGalaxy3 h 18 min2,976 subs4 h 35 min4,120 subs8 h 58 min8,073 subs
M49VirgoGalaxy3 h 27 min3,107 subs4 h 46 min4,284 subs9 h 16 min8,348 subs
M4ScorpiusGlobular cluster3 h 44 min3,361 subs5 h 11 min4,659 subs10 h9,146 subs
M84VirgoGalaxy3 h 57 min3,552 subs5 h 25 min4,878 subs11 h9,461 subs
M85Coma BerenicesGalaxy4 h 11 min3,763 subs5 h 45 min5,176 subs11 h10,058 subs
M89VirgoGalaxy4 h 18 min3,876 subs5 h 55 min5,329 subs12 h10,352 subs
M86VirgoGalaxy4 h 22 min3,928 subs6 h 02 min5,424 subs12 h10,592 subs
Sunflower GalaxyCanes VenaticiGalaxy4 h 58 min4,473 subs6 h 54 min6,208 subs14 h12,203 subs
M88Coma BerenicesGalaxy5 h 29 min4,935 subs7 h 34 min6,812 subs15 h13,299 subs
Antennae GalaxiesCorvusGalaxy5 h 59 min5,390 subs8 h 16 min7,443 subs16 h14,540 subs
M100Coma BerenicesGalaxy7 h 01 min6,322 subs9 h 43 min8,753 subs19 h17,151 subs
M90VirgoGalaxy7 h 39 min6,878 subs11 h9,560 subs21 h18,827 subs
M58VirgoGalaxy7 h 51 min7,059 subs11 h9,780 subs21 h19,180 subs
M99Coma BerenicesGalaxy8 h 26 min7,596 subs12 h10,531 subs23 h20,674 subs
M61VirgoGalaxy9 h 26 min8,484 subs13 h11,775 subs26 h23,149 subs
M98Coma BerenicesGalaxy12 h10,377 subs16 h14,472 subs32 h28,624 subs
M91Coma BerenicesGalaxy12 h10,476 subs16 h14,570 subs32 h28,715 subs
Pinwheel GalaxyUrsa MajorGalaxy14 h12,667 subs20 h17,741 subs39 h35,277 subs
Abell 39HerculesPlanetary nebula110+ h101,614 subs160+ h143,070 subs320+ h286,321 subs

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

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