What to image in May with the Vaonis Vespera Pro 2
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 Vespera Pro 2 gets a solid image of 18 of them in under an hour each; 33 need longer, or a darker sky, or several nights. Times below use the recommended filter and 10 s subs.
| Target | Type | Bortle 4 | Bortle 6 | Bortle 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega CentauriCentaurus | Globular cluster | 5 min30 subs | 5 min30 subs | 9 min55 subs |
| Butterfly ClusterScorpius | Open cluster | 5 min30 subs | 5 min33 subs | 11 min69 subs |
| Ptolemy's ClusterScorpius | Open cluster | 5 min30 subs | 5 min33 subs | 11 min69 subs |
| M23Sagittarius | Open cluster | 5 min30 subs | 5 min33 subs | 11 min69 subs |
| M92Hercules | Globular cluster | 8 min47 subs | 13 min76 subs | 29 min174 subs |
| Hercules ClusterHercules | Globular cluster | 9 min57 subs | 15 min93 subs | 37 min220 subs |
| M62Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 10 min63 subs | 17 min105 subs | 42 min251 subs |
| M3Canes Venatici | Globular cluster | 12 min73 subs | 20 min123 subs | 49 min296 subs |
| M5Serpens | Globular cluster | 13 min76 subs | 21 min129 subs | 52 min314 subs |
| M80Scorpius | Globular cluster | 14 min84 subs | 23 min139 subs | 54 min327 subs |
| Cat's Eye NebulaDraco | Planetary nebula | 16 min98 subs | 26 min157 subs | 1 h360 subs |
| Turtle NebulaHercules | Planetary nebula | 16 min98 subs | 26 min157 subs | 1 h360 subs |
| M12Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 17 min105 subs | 30 min183 subs | 1 h 16 min456 subs |
| M19Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 25 min150 subs | 45 min270 subs | 1 h 54 min687 subs |
| M14Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 27 min163 subs | 48 min289 subs | 2 h 01 min724 subs |
| Spindle GalaxyDraco | Galaxy | 29 min176 subs | 50 min300 subs | 2 h 01 min728 subs |
| M10Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 32 min190 subs | 58 min350 subs | 2 h 30 min903 subs |
| M94Canes Venatici | Galaxy | 33 min200 subs | 1 h360 subs | 2 h 32 min915 subs |
| M68Hydra | Globular cluster | 37 min222 subs | 1 h 07 min404 subs | 2 h 52 min1,033 subs |
| M9Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 39 min234 subs | 1 h 12 min431 subs | 3 h 05 min1,110 subs |
| Black Eye GalaxyComa Berenices | Galaxy | 40 min241 subs | 1 h 13 min437 subs | 3 h 06 min1,117 subs |
| M53Coma Berenices | Globular cluster | 41 min244 subs | 1 h 15 min451 subs | 3 h 15 min1,170 subs |
| Centaurus ACentaurus | Galaxy | 46 min278 subs | 1 h 27 min525 subs | 3 h 49 min1,376 subs |
| Southern PinwheelHydra | Galaxy | 53 min317 subs | 1 h 40 min598 subs | 4 h 21 min1,568 subs |
| Sombrero GalaxyVirgo | Galaxy | 54 min325 subs | 1 h 40 min600 subs | 4 h 18 min1,550 subs |
| M59Virgo | Galaxy | 56 min339 subs | 1 h 42 min613 subs | 4 h 20 min1,561 subs |
| Whale GalaxyCanes Venatici | Galaxy | 1 h 01 min364 subs | 1 h 56 min698 subs | 5 h 08 min1,851 subs |
| Whirlpool GalaxyCanes Venatici | Galaxy | 1 h 06 min396 subs | 2 h 05 min748 subs | 5 h 28 min1,967 subs |
| M60Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 08 min409 subs | 2 h 06 min754 subs | 5 h 24 min1,945 subs |
| M107Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 1 h 06 min397 subs | 2 h 06 min758 subs | 5 h 34 min2,006 subs |
| M87Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 11 min429 subs | 2 h 13 min800 subs | 5 h 47 min2,081 subs |
| M106Canes Venatici | Galaxy | 1 h 12 min430 subs | 2 h 19 min832 subs | 6 h 10 min2,218 subs |
| Needle GalaxyComa Berenices | Galaxy | 1 h 13 min436 subs | 2 h 21 min844 subs | 6 h 15 min2,252 subs |
| M49Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 18 min466 subs | 2 h 27 min885 subs | 6 h 29 min2,332 subs |
| M4Scorpius | Globular cluster | 1 h 21 min489 subs | 2 h 39 min952 subs | 7 h 05 min2,550 subs |
| M84Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 30 min542 subs | 2 h 49 min1,015 subs | 7 h 21 min2,647 subs |
| M85Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 1 h 35 min570 subs | 2 h 59 min1,073 subs | 7 h 49 min2,812 subs |
| M89Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 38 min588 subs | 3 h 04 min1,106 subs | 8 h 02 min2,895 subs |
| M86Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 37 min584 subs | 3 h 06 min1,116 subs | 8 h 13 min2,957 subs |
| Sunflower GalaxyCanes Venatici | Galaxy | 1 h 48 min647 subs | 3 h 31 min1,265 subs | 9 h 27 min3,401 subs |
| M88Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 2 h 02 min734 subs | 3 h 54 min1,403 subs | 10 h3,713 subs |
| Antennae GalaxiesCorvus | Galaxy | 2 h 13 min800 subs | 4 h 15 min1,531 subs | 11 h4,059 subs |
| M100Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 2 h 34 min927 subs | 4 h 59 min1,792 subs | 13 h4,784 subs |
| M90Virgo | Galaxy | 2 h 45 min988 subs | 5 h 24 min1,943 subs | 15 h5,243 subs |
| M58Virgo | Galaxy | 2 h 52 min1,031 subs | 5 h 33 min2,000 subs | 15 h5,348 subs |
| M99Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 3 h 04 min1,105 subs | 5 h 58 min2,150 subs | 16 h5,763 subs |
| M61Virgo | Galaxy | 3 h 24 min1,227 subs | 6 h 40 min2,399 subs | 18 h6,450 subs |
| M98Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 4 h 04 min1,463 subs | 8 h 07 min2,921 subs | 22 h7,962 subs |
| M91Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 4 h 10 min1,499 subs | 8 h 13 min2,957 subs | 22 h7,995 subs |
| Pinwheel GalaxyUrsa Major | Galaxy | 4 h 51 min1,744 subs | 9 h 52 min3,552 subs | 27 h9,797 subs |
| Abell 39Hercules | Planetary nebula | 38 h13,583 subs | 79 h28,348 subs | 220+ h79,371 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 · eQuinox 2 · Odyssey · Origin · Origin Mark II
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