Deep-sky targets

172 objects: the full Messier list plus the NGC, IC and Sharpless favourites smart-telescope owners actually shoot. The last column is the time for a solid image with a Seestar S50 from a Bortle 6 suburban sky, the most common combination, using the recommended filter.

Supernova remnants

Target	Catalogue	Constellation	Best months	S50 · Bortle 6
Crab Nebula	M1	Taurus	Nov, Dec, Jan	28 min
Jellyfish Nebula	IC 443	Gemini	Dec, Jan, Feb	4 h
Western Veil Nebula	NGC 6960	Cygnus	Jul, Aug, Sep	1 h 33 min
Eastern Veil Nebula	NGC 6992	Cygnus	Jul, Aug, Sep	1 h 18 min

Globular clusters

Target	Catalogue	Constellation	Best months	S50 · Bortle 6
47 Tucanae	NGC 104	Tucana	Sep, Oct, Nov	5 min
M79	NGC 1904	Lepus	Nov, Dec, Jan	16 min
M68	NGC 4590	Hydra	Mar, Apr, May	32 min
M53	NGC 5024	Coma Berenices	Mar, Apr, May	35 min
Omega Centauri	NGC 5139	Centaurus	Mar, Apr, May	5 min
M3	NGC 5272	Canes Venatici	Mar, Apr, May	10 min
M5	NGC 5904	Serpens	Apr, May, Jun	10 min
M80	NGC 6093	Scorpius	May, Jun, Jul	11 min
M4	NGC 6121	Scorpius	May, Jun, Jul	1 h 14 min
M107	NGC 6171	Ophiuchus	May, Jun, Jul	59 min
Hercules Cluster	M13	Hercules	May, Jun, Jul	7 min
M12	NGC 6218	Ophiuchus	May, Jun, Jul	14 min
M10	NGC 6254	Ophiuchus	May, Jun, Jul	27 min
M62	NGC 6266	Ophiuchus	May, Jun, Jul	8 min
M19	NGC 6273	Ophiuchus	May, Jun, Jul	21 min
M92	NGC 6341	Hercules	May, Jun, Jul	6 min
M9	NGC 6333	Ophiuchus	May, Jun, Jul	34 min
M14	NGC 6402	Ophiuchus	May, Jun, Jul	23 min
M28	NGC 6626	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	6 min
M69	NGC 6637	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	17 min
M22	NGC 6656	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	12 min
M70	NGC 6681	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	16 min
M54	NGC 6715	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	28 min
M56	NGC 6779	Lyra	Jun, Jul, Aug	41 min
M55	NGC 6809	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	14 min
M71	NGC 6838	Sagitta	Jun, Jul, Aug	19 min
M75	NGC 6864	Sagittarius	Jul, Aug, Sep	19 min
M72	NGC 6981	Aquarius	Jul, Aug, Sep	1 h 11 min
M15	NGC 7078	Pegasus	Jul, Aug, Sep	10 min
M2	NGC 7089	Aquarius	Jul, Aug, Sep	10 min
M30	NGC 7099	Capricornus	Jul, Aug, Sep	12 min

Open clusters

Target	Catalogue	Constellation	Best months	S50 · Bortle 6
Owl Cluster	NGC 457	Cassiopeia	Sep, Oct, Nov	5 min
M103	NGC 581	Cassiopeia	Sep, Oct, Nov	6 min
NGC 663	Caldwell 10	Cassiopeia	Sep, Oct, Nov	5 min
Double Cluster	NGC 869 and NGC 884	Perseus	Oct, Nov, Dec	5 min
M34	NGC 1039	Perseus	Oct, Nov, Dec	5 min
NGC 1893	IC 410 cluster	Auriga	Nov, Dec, Jan	5 min
M38	NGC 1912	Auriga	Nov, Dec, Jan	5 min
M36	NGC 1960	Auriga	Nov, Dec, Jan	5 min
M37	NGC 2099	Auriga	Nov, Dec, Jan	5 min
M35	NGC 2168	Gemini	Dec, Jan, Feb	5 min
Rosette Cluster	NGC 2244	Monoceros	Dec, Jan, Feb	5 min
M41	NGC 2287	Canis Major	Dec, Jan, Feb	5 min
M50	NGC 2323	Monoceros	Dec, Jan, Feb	5 min
M47	NGC 2422	Puppis	Dec, Jan, Feb	5 min
M46	NGC 2437	Puppis	Dec, Jan, Feb	5 min
M93	NGC 2447	Puppis	Dec, Jan, Feb	5 min
M48	NGC 2548	Hydra	Jan, Feb, Mar	5 min
Beehive Cluster	M44	Cancer	Jan, Feb, Mar	5 min
M67	NGC 2682	Cancer	Jan, Feb, Mar	5 min
Butterfly Cluster	M6	Scorpius	May, Jun, Jul	5 min
Ptolemy's Cluster	M7	Scorpius	May, Jun, Jul	5 min
M23	NGC 6494	Sagittarius	May, Jun, Jul	5 min
M21	NGC 6531	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	5 min
M18	NGC 6613	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	5 min
M25	IC 4725	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	5 min
M26	NGC 6694	Scutum	Jun, Jul, Aug	5 min
Wild Duck Cluster	M11	Scutum	Jun, Jul, Aug	5 min
M29	NGC 6913	Cygnus	Jul, Aug, Sep	6 min
NGC 6939	Cep open cluster	Cepheus	Jul, Aug, Sep	6 min
M39	NGC 7092	Cygnus	Jul, Aug, Sep	5 min
M52	NGC 7654	Cassiopeia	Aug, Sep, Oct	5 min
Caroline's Rose	NGC 7789	Cassiopeia	Aug, Sep, Oct	5 min

Emission nebulas

Target	Catalogue	Constellation	Best months	S50 · Bortle 6
Pacman Nebula	NGC 281	Cassiopeia	Sep, Oct, Nov	1 h 41 min
Ghost of Cassiopeia	IC 63	Cassiopeia	Sep, Oct, Nov	1 h 48 min
Heart Nebula	IC 1805	Cassiopeia	Oct, Nov, Dec	2 h 49 min
Soul Nebula	IC 1848	Cassiopeia	Oct, Nov, Dec	3 h 21 min
California Nebula	NGC 1499	Perseus	Nov, Dec, Jan	2 h
Flaming Star Nebula	IC 405	Auriga	Nov, Dec, Jan	1 h 41 min
Tadpoles Nebula	IC 410	Auriga	Nov, Dec, Jan	2 h 22 min
Orion Nebula	M42	Orion	Nov, Dec, Jan	12 min
De Mairan's Nebula	M43	Orion	Nov, Dec, Jan	32 min
Tarantula Nebula	NGC 2070	Dorado	Nov, Dec, Jan	32 min
Horsehead Nebula	IC 434	Orion	Nov, Dec, Jan	2 h
Flame Nebula	NGC 2024	Orion	Nov, Dec, Jan	32 min
Monkey Head Nebula	NGC 2174	Orion	Dec, Jan, Feb	1 h 41 min
Rosette Nebula	NGC 2237	Monoceros	Dec, Jan, Feb	1 h 25 min
Cone and Christmas Tree	NGC 2264	Monoceros	Dec, Jan, Feb	4 h
Thor's Helmet	NGC 2359	Canis Major	Dec, Jan, Feb	6 h 17 min
Carina Nebula	NGC 3372	Carina	Feb, Mar, Apr	9 min
Trifid Nebula	M20	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	44 min
Lagoon Nebula	M8	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	20 min
Eagle Nebula	M16	Serpens	Jun, Jul, Aug	1 h 01 min
Omega Nebula	M17	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	23 min
Tulip Nebula	Sh2-101	Cygnus	Jul, Aug, Sep	2 h 22 min
Crescent Nebula	NGC 6888	Cygnus	Jul, Aug, Sep	2 h 49 min
Pelican Nebula	IC 5070	Cygnus	Jul, Aug, Sep	2 h
North America Nebula	NGC 7000	Cygnus	Jul, Aug, Sep	1 h 25 min
Elephant's Trunk Nebula	IC 1396	Cepheus	Jul, Aug, Sep	2 h 22 min
Cocoon Nebula	IC 5146	Cygnus	Jul, Aug, Sep	2 h 58 min
Wizard Nebula	NGC 7380	Cepheus	Aug, Sep, Oct	2 h 22 min
Cave Nebula	Sh2-155	Cepheus	Aug, Sep, Oct	4 h
Bubble Nebula	NGC 7635	Cassiopeia	Aug, Sep, Oct	2 h 49 min

Star clouds

Target	Catalogue	Constellation	Best months	S50 · Bortle 6
Sagittarius Star Cloud	M24	Sagittarius	Jun, Jul, Aug	9 min

Planetary nebulas

Target	Catalogue	Constellation	Best months	S50 · Bortle 6
Bow-Tie Nebula	NGC 40	Cepheus	Sep, Oct, Nov	21 min
Little Dumbbell	M76	Perseus	Sep, Oct, Nov	33 min
Eskimo Nebula	NGC 2392	Gemini	Dec, Jan, Feb	10 min
Ghost of Jupiter	NGC 3242	Hydra	Feb, Mar, Apr	10 min
Owl Nebula	M97	Ursa Major	Feb, Mar, Apr	38 min
Abell 39	PN A66 39	Hercules	May, Jun, Jul	22 h
Turtle Nebula	NGC 6210	Hercules	May, Jun, Jul	10 min
Cat's Eye Nebula	NGC 6543	Draco	May, Jun, Jul	10 min
Ring Nebula	M57	Lyra	Jun, Jul, Aug	7 min
NGC 6781	Aquila planetary	Aquila	Jun, Jul, Aug	2 h 42 min
Blinking Planetary	NGC 6826	Cygnus	Jun, Jul, Aug	10 min
Dumbbell Nebula	M27	Vulpecula	Jun, Jul, Aug	20 min
Saturn Nebula	NGC 7009	Aquarius	Jul, Aug, Sep	10 min
Helix Nebula	NGC 7293	Aquarius	Aug, Sep, Oct	2 h

Galaxys

Target	Catalogue	Constellation	Best months	S50 · Bortle 6
M110	NGC 205	Andromeda	Sep, Oct, Nov	3 h 46 min
Andromeda Galaxy	M31	Andromeda	Sep, Oct, Nov	1 h 27 min
M32	NGC 221	Andromeda	Sep, Oct, Nov	20 min
Sculptor Galaxy	NGC 253	Sculptor	Sep, Oct, Nov	29 min
Triangulum Galaxy	M33	Triangulum	Sep, Oct, Nov	2 h 42 min
M74	NGC 628	Pisces	Sep, Oct, Nov	5 h 30 min
NGC 891	Caldwell 23	Andromeda	Oct, Nov, Dec	2 h 44 min
M77	NGC 1068	Cetus	Oct, Nov, Dec	30 min
NGC 2403	Caldwell 7	Camelopardalis	Dec, Jan, Feb	3 h 13 min
NGC 2903	UGC 5079	Leo	Jan, Feb, Mar	2 h 21 min
Bode's Galaxy	M81	Ursa Major	Jan, Feb, Mar	1 h 04 min
Cigar Galaxy	M82	Ursa Major	Jan, Feb, Mar	35 min
M95	NGC 3351	Leo	Feb, Mar, Apr	3 h 30 min
M96	NGC 3368	Leo	Feb, Mar, Apr	1 h 37 min
M105	NGC 3379	Leo	Feb, Mar, Apr	1 h
M108	NGC 3556	Ursa Major	Feb, Mar, Apr	1 h 26 min
M65	NGC 3623	Leo	Feb, Mar, Apr	52 min
M66	NGC 3627	Leo	Feb, Mar, Apr	41 min
Hamburger Galaxy	NGC 3628	Leo	Feb, Mar, Apr	2 h 31 min
M109	NGC 3992	Ursa Major	Feb, Mar, Apr	3 h 48 min
Antennae Galaxies	NGC 4038 and NGC 4039	Corvus	Mar, Apr, May	2 h
M98	NGC 4192	Coma Berenices	Mar, Apr, May	3 h 48 min
M99	NGC 4254	Coma Berenices	Mar, Apr, May	2 h 48 min
M106	NGC 4258	Canes Venatici	Mar, Apr, May	1 h 05 min
M61	NGC 4303	Virgo	Mar, Apr, May	3 h 07 min
M100	NGC 4321	Coma Berenices	Mar, Apr, May	2 h 20 min
M84	NGC 4374	Virgo	Mar, Apr, May	1 h 19 min
M85	NGC 4382	Coma Berenices	Mar, Apr, May	1 h 24 min
M86	NGC 4406	Virgo	Mar, Apr, May	1 h 27 min
M49	NGC 4472	Virgo	Mar, Apr, May	1 h 09 min
M87	NGC 4486	Virgo	Mar, Apr, May	1 h 03 min
M88	NGC 4501	Coma Berenices	Mar, Apr, May	1 h 50 min
M91	NGC 4548	Coma Berenices	Mar, Apr, May	3 h 51 min
M89	NGC 4552	Virgo	Mar, Apr, May	1 h 27 min
Needle Galaxy	NGC 4565	Coma Berenices	Mar, Apr, May	1 h 06 min
M90	NGC 4569	Virgo	Mar, Apr, May	2 h 32 min
M58	NGC 4579	Virgo	Mar, Apr, May	2 h 36 min
Sombrero Galaxy	M104	Virgo	Mar, Apr, May	47 min
M59	NGC 4621	Virgo	Mar, Apr, May	48 min
Whale Galaxy	NGC 4631	Canes Venatici	Mar, Apr, May	55 min
M60	NGC 4649	Virgo	Mar, Apr, May	59 min
M94	NGC 4736	Canes Venatici	Mar, Apr, May	28 min
Black Eye Galaxy	M64	Coma Berenices	Mar, Apr, May	34 min
Sunflower Galaxy	M63	Canes Venatici	Mar, Apr, May	1 h 39 min
Centaurus A	NGC 5128	Centaurus	Mar, Apr, May	41 min
Whirlpool Galaxy	M51	Canes Venatici	Mar, Apr, May	59 min
Southern Pinwheel	M83	Hydra	Mar, Apr, May	47 min
Pinwheel Galaxy	M101	Ursa Major	Apr, May, Jun	4 h 37 min
Spindle Galaxy	M102	Draco	Apr, May, Jun	24 min
Fireworks Galaxy	NGC 6946	Cygnus	Jul, Aug, Sep	5 h 15 min
NGC 7331	Caldwell 30	Pegasus	Aug, Sep, Oct	2 h 07 min

Double stars

Target	Catalogue	Constellation	Best months	S50 · Bortle 6
Winnecke 4	M40	Ursa Major	Mar, Apr, May	—

Reflection nebulas

Target	Catalogue	Constellation	Best months	S50 · Bortle 6
NGC 1333	Perseus Molecular Cloud	Perseus	Oct, Nov, Dec	6 h 04 min
Pleiades	M45	Taurus	Oct, Nov, Dec	2 h 42 min
Witch Head Nebula	IC 2118	Eridanus	Nov, Dec, Jan	41 h
Running Man Nebula	NGC 1977	Orion	Nov, Dec, Jan	1 h 07 min
M78	NGC 2068	Orion	Nov, Dec, Jan	1 h 03 min
NGC 6914	vdB 131/132	Cygnus	Jul, Aug, Sep	6 h 04 min
Iris Nebula	NGC 7023	Cepheus	Jul, Aug, Sep	1 h 53 min

Asterisms

Target	Catalogue	Constellation	Best months	S50 · Bortle 6
M73	NGC 6994	Aquarius	Jul, Aug, Sep	—