M96

NGC 3368 · Galaxy in Leo

Magnitude: 9.2
Size: 7.6′ × 5.2′
Effective surface brightness: 21.8 mag/arcsec²
Best months: Feb, Mar, Apr
Declination: +12°
Filter: None (broadband target)

The brightest of the M95/M96/M105 group, a slightly asymmetric spiral.

Reachable from mid-northern latitudes (UK, northern US, central Europe) and from the south.

How long with each smart telescope

Total integration for a solid image of the M96, default sub length, recommended filter, and how much of each frame it fills. Click a cell for the full Bortle 1 to 9 table.
Telescope	In frame	Bortle 3 (rural)	Bortle 5 (suburban)	Bortle 7 (urban edge)
ZWO Seestar S5010 s subs	18%	39 min236 subs	1 h 02 min373 subs	2 h 42 min974 subs
ZWO Seestar S50 Pro10 s subs	9%	44 min262 subs	1 h 08 min411 subs	2 h 57 min1,060 subs
ZWO Seestar S3010 s subs	11%	44 min264 subs	1 h 07 min402 subs	2 h 47 min1,002 subs
ZWO Seestar S30 Pro10 s subs	6%	47 min281 subs	1 h 13 min437 subs	3 h 07 min1,120 subs
DwarfLab DWARF 315 s subs	8%	52 min209 subs	1 h 27 min350 subs	4 h 02 min968 subs
DwarfLab DWARF mini15 s subs	11%	39 min156 subs	1 h 02 min247 subs	2 h 42 min648 subs
DwarfLab Draco30 s subs	10%	32 min64 subs	51 min102 subs	2 h 14 min269 subs
DwarfLab DWARF II15 s subs	7%	2 h 49 min678 subs	3 h 53 min932 subs	8 h 31 min2,044 subs
Vaonis Vespera II10 s subs	9%	39 min236 subs	1 h 02 min373 subs	2 h 42 min974 subs
Vaonis Vespera Pro10 s subs	8%	1 h 35 min573 subs	2 h 23 min861 subs	5 h 54 min2,123 subs
Vaonis Vespera 310 s subs	9%	37 min224 subs	59 min356 subs	2 h 35 min932 subs
Vaonis Vespera Pro 210 s subs	8%	1 h 30 min541 subs	2 h 16 min818 subs	5 h 38 min2,030 subs
Unistellar eQuinox 24 s subs	22%	51 min766 subs	1 h 05 min980 subs	2 h 08 min1,915 subs
Unistellar Odyssey4 s subs	23%	4 h 29 min4,042 subs	5 h 21 min4,820 subs	9 h 08 min8,223 subs
Celestron Origin10 s subs	15%	9 min57 subs	16 min96 subs	44 min266 subs
Celestron Origin Mark II10 s subs	17%	12 min71 subs	21 min127 subs	1 h 02 min373 subs

Open in the calculator

Imaging the galaxy

Galaxies are broadband targets: their light is mostly starlight spread across the spectrum, so a dual-band filter throws most of it away and makes things slower, not faster. Shoot without a filter (or with a plain UV/IR cut) and rely on total time and a dark sky. The core of a galaxy is usually many times brighter than its outer disc, so a short stack shows the nucleus long before the arms; the figures here are for the arms and disc, not the core.

Field rotation in Alt-Az mode crops the edges of the stack over a long session, so on a big galaxy re-centre now and then or use EQ mode where your scope supports it.

M96

How long with each smart telescope

Imaging the galaxy

Per-telescope pages