What to image in May with the Vaonis Vespera Pro
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 gets a solid image of 16 of them in under an hour each; 35 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 min57 subs |
| Butterfly ClusterScorpius | Open cluster | 5 min30 subs | 6 min34 subs | 12 min72 subs |
| Ptolemy's ClusterScorpius | Open cluster | 5 min30 subs | 6 min34 subs | 12 min72 subs |
| M23Sagittarius | Open cluster | 5 min30 subs | 6 min34 subs | 12 min72 subs |
| M92Hercules | Globular cluster | 8 min50 subs | 13 min79 subs | 30 min182 subs |
| Hercules ClusterHercules | Globular cluster | 10 min60 subs | 16 min98 subs | 38 min230 subs |
| M62Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 11 min66 subs | 18 min110 subs | 44 min262 subs |
| M3Canes Venatici | Globular cluster | 13 min76 subs | 21 min129 subs | 51 min309 subs |
| M5Serpens | Globular cluster | 13 min80 subs | 23 min136 subs | 54 min327 subs |
| M80Scorpius | Globular cluster | 15 min88 subs | 24 min145 subs | 57 min341 subs |
| Cat's Eye NebulaDraco | Planetary nebula | 17 min103 subs | 27 min164 subs | 1 h 02 min375 subs |
| Turtle NebulaHercules | Planetary nebula | 17 min103 subs | 27 min164 subs | 1 h 02 min375 subs |
| M12Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 18 min110 subs | 32 min192 subs | 1 h 19 min476 subs |
| M19Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 26 min158 subs | 47 min283 subs | 2 h718 subs |
| M14Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 28 min171 subs | 50 min302 subs | 2 h 06 min756 subs |
| Spindle GalaxyDraco | Galaxy | 31 min185 subs | 52 min314 subs | 2 h 07 min760 subs |
| M10Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 33 min201 subs | 1 h 01 min367 subs | 2 h 37 min943 subs |
| M94Canes Venatici | Galaxy | 35 min210 subs | 1 h 03 min378 subs | 2 h 39 min956 subs |
| M68Hydra | Globular cluster | 39 min234 subs | 1 h 11 min424 subs | 3 h1,079 subs |
| M9Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 41 min247 subs | 1 h 15 min452 subs | 3 h 13 min1,159 subs |
| Black Eye GalaxyComa Berenices | Galaxy | 42 min254 subs | 1 h 16 min459 subs | 3 h 14 min1,166 subs |
| M53Coma Berenices | Globular cluster | 43 min257 subs | 1 h 19 min473 subs | 3 h 23 min1,221 subs |
| Centaurus ACentaurus | Galaxy | 49 min293 subs | 1 h 32 min550 subs | 3 h 59 min1,437 subs |
| Southern PinwheelHydra | Galaxy | 56 min335 subs | 1 h 44 min627 subs | 4 h 33 min1,637 subs |
| Sombrero GalaxyVirgo | Galaxy | 57 min343 subs | 1 h 45 min629 subs | 4 h 30 min1,618 subs |
| M59Virgo | Galaxy | 59 min357 subs | 1 h 47 min643 subs | 4 h 31 min1,629 subs |
| Whale GalaxyCanes Venatici | Galaxy | 1 h 04 min384 subs | 2 h 02 min732 subs | 5 h 22 min1,932 subs |
| Whirlpool GalaxyCanes Venatici | Galaxy | 1 h 09 min417 subs | 2 h 11 min785 subs | 5 h 42 min2,054 subs |
| M60Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 12 min432 subs | 2 h 12 min791 subs | 5 h 38 min2,031 subs |
| M107Ophiuchus | Globular cluster | 1 h 10 min419 subs | 2 h 12 min795 subs | 5 h 49 min2,095 subs |
| M87Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 15 min453 subs | 2 h 20 min839 subs | 6 h 02 min2,173 subs |
| M106Canes Venatici | Galaxy | 1 h 16 min454 subs | 2 h 25 min872 subs | 6 h 26 min2,316 subs |
| Needle GalaxyComa Berenices | Galaxy | 1 h 17 min461 subs | 2 h 27 min885 subs | 6 h 32 min2,351 subs |
| M49Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 22 min492 subs | 2 h 35 min928 subs | 6 h 46 min2,435 subs |
| M4Scorpius | Globular cluster | 1 h 26 min517 subs | 2 h 46 min998 subs | 7 h 24 min2,662 subs |
| M84Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 35 min572 subs | 2 h 57 min1,064 subs | 7 h 40 min2,763 subs |
| M85Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 1 h 40 min602 subs | 3 h 08 min1,126 subs | 8 h 09 min2,936 subs |
| M89Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 43 min621 subs | 3 h 13 min1,160 subs | 8 h 24 min3,022 subs |
| M86Virgo | Galaxy | 1 h 43 min616 subs | 3 h 15 min1,171 subs | 8 h 35 min3,088 subs |
| Sunflower GalaxyCanes Venatici | Galaxy | 1 h 54 min684 subs | 3 h 41 min1,327 subs | 9 h 52 min3,551 subs |
| M88Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 2 h 09 min775 subs | 4 h 05 min1,471 subs | 11 h3,877 subs |
| Antennae GalaxiesCorvus | Galaxy | 2 h 21 min845 subs | 4 h 28 min1,606 subs | 12 h4,238 subs |
| M100Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 2 h 43 min979 subs | 5 h 13 min1,880 subs | 14 h4,995 subs |
| M90Virgo | Galaxy | 2 h 54 min1,044 subs | 5 h 40 min2,038 subs | 15 h5,475 subs |
| M58Virgo | Galaxy | 3 h 01 min1,089 subs | 5 h 50 min2,098 subs | 16 h5,584 subs |
| M99Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 3 h 14 min1,167 subs | 6 h 16 min2,256 subs | 17 h6,017 subs |
| M61Virgo | Galaxy | 3 h 36 min1,296 subs | 6 h 59 min2,517 subs | 19 h6,735 subs |
| M98Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 4 h 18 min1,546 subs | 8 h 31 min3,065 subs | 23 h8,314 subs |
| M91Coma Berenices | Galaxy | 4 h 24 min1,584 subs | 8 h 37 min3,103 subs | 23 h8,348 subs |
| Pinwheel GalaxyUrsa Major | Galaxy | 5 h 07 min1,845 subs | 10 h3,727 subs | 28 h10,230 subs |
| Abell 39Hercules | Planetary nebula | 40 h14,380 subs | 83 h29,755 subs | 230+ h82,881 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 3 · Vespera Pro 2 · eQuinox 2 · Odyssey · Origin · Origin Mark II
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