SKY · DEEP-SKY OBJECTS
Deep-Sky Objects — Galaxies, Nebulae & Clusters to See Tonight
Beyond the planets and the brighter stars lie the deep-sky wonders: other galaxies, glowing clouds where stars are born, and dense swarms of ancient suns. These are the showpiece objects from Charles Messier's famous list — the ones genuinely worth hunting with your eyes, binoculars or a small telescope. Here's what they are, and which are best placed above your city tonight.
The showpiece deep-sky objects
GALAXYS
M31 · ANDROMEDA · MAG 3.4 · NAKED EYEAndromeda GalaxyThe nearest big galaxy — a faint elongated smudge to the naked eye from a dark sky, the most distant thing most people ever see unaided.
M51 · CANES VENATICI · MAG 8.4 · TELESCOPEWhirlpool GalaxyA face-on spiral with a companion — its spiral arms are visible in a modest telescope from a dark site.
M81 · URSA MAJOR · MAG 6.9 · TELESCOPEBode’s GalaxyA bright spiral galaxy near the Big Dipper, paired with M82 in the same binocular field.
M104 · VIRGO · MAG 8.0 · TELESCOPESombrero GalaxyAn edge-on galaxy with a dark dust lane like a hat brim — a small-telescope classic.
M33 · TRIANGULUM · MAG 5.7 · BINOCULARSTriangulum GalaxyA large, low-surface-brightness spiral — needs a genuinely dark, Moonless sky, then rewarding in binoculars.
NEBULAS
M42 · ORION · MAG 4.0 · NAKED EYEOrion NebulaA glowing stellar nursery in Orion’s sword — visible to the naked eye, stunning in binoculars, a showpiece in any telescope.
M57 · LYRA · MAG 8.8 · TELESCOPERing NebulaA tiny, perfect smoke ring — the glowing shell of a dying star; a small-telescope favourite.
M27 · VULPECULA · MAG 7.4 · BINOCULARSDumbbell NebulaA bright planetary nebula, an easy and rewarding binocular and small-scope target.
M8 · SAGITTARIUS · MAG 6.0 · BINOCULARSLagoon NebulaA bright nebula in the heart of the Milky Way — superb in binoculars from a dark southern-sky view.
M16 · SERPENS · MAG 6.0 · TELESCOPEEagle NebulaHome of the famous "Pillars of Creation"; the surrounding cluster is an easy binocular sight.
M20 · SAGITTARIUS · MAG 6.3 · TELESCOPETrifid NebulaA delicate nebula split by dark dust lanes, near the Lagoon in the rich Sagittarius star fields.
STAR CLUSTERS
M45 · TAURUS · MAG 1.6 · NAKED EYEPleiades (Seven Sisters)A tight, bright knot of blue stars — obvious to the naked eye, dazzling in binoculars.
M44 · CANCER · MAG 3.7 · BINOCULARSBeehive ClusterA swarm of stars filling a binocular field; a faint haze to the naked eye under dark skies.
M7 · SCORPIUS · MAG 3.3 · NAKED EYEPtolemy ClusterA bright, sprawling star cluster low in the southern Milky Way — naked-eye from dark skies.
M11 · SCUTUM · MAG 5.8 · BINOCULARSWild Duck ClusterA dense, rich open cluster shaped like a flight of ducks — lovely in binoculars.
GLOBULAR CLUSTERS
M13 · HERCULES · MAG 5.8 · BINOCULARSGreat Hercules ClusterThe finest globular cluster for northern observers — a fuzzy ball of hundreds of thousands of stars.
M22 · SAGITTARIUS · MAG 5.1 · BINOCULARSSagittarius ClusterOne of the brightest globular clusters, low in the south for northern observers.
M3 · CANES VENATICI · MAG 6.2 · BINOCULARSM3 Globular ClusterA bright spring globular with half a million stars — a fine binocular and small-scope target.
M15 · PEGASUS · MAG 6.2 · BINOCULARSPegasus ClusterA compact, bright autumn globular cluster, easy to find off the Great Square of Pegasus.
SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
M1 · TAURUS · MAG 8.4 · TELESCOPECrab NebulaThe wreckage of a supernova seen in 1054 AD — a faint glow needing a telescope and a dark sky.
“Magnitude” measures brightness — lower numbers are brighter. Anything around magnitude 6 or brighter is within reach of the naked eye from a dark site; fainter targets reward binoculars or a small telescope. Whether each is actually up for you depends on your latitude, the time of year, and the hour — which is what the city pages work out.
Best placed tonight, by city
132 CITIESEach city page ranks these objects by how high they climb in tonight's dark sky from there — with the direction to look, the best time, and an honest Moon caveat.
USA
USADeep-sky objects tonight — New YorkUSADeep-sky objects tonight — Los AngelesUSADeep-sky objects tonight — ChicagoUSADeep-sky objects tonight — HoustonUSADeep-sky objects tonight — PhoenixUSADeep-sky objects tonight — PhiladelphiaUSADeep-sky objects tonight — San AntonioUSADeep-sky objects tonight — San DiegoUSADeep-sky objects tonight — DallasUSADeep-sky objects tonight — DenverUSADeep-sky objects tonight — SeattleUSADeep-sky objects tonight — MiamiUSADeep-sky objects tonight — San FranciscoUSADeep-sky objects tonight — BostonUSADeep-sky objects tonight — AtlantaUSADeep-sky objects tonight — Washington, D.C.USADeep-sky objects tonight — MinneapolisUSADeep-sky objects tonight — DetroitUSADeep-sky objects tonight — Las VegasUSADeep-sky objects tonight — PortlandUSADeep-sky objects tonight — Salt Lake CityUSADeep-sky objects tonight — OrlandoUSADeep-sky objects tonight — New OrleansUSADeep-sky objects tonight — NashvilleUSADeep-sky objects tonight — Kansas CityUSADeep-sky objects tonight — St. LouisUSADeep-sky objects tonight — PittsburghUSADeep-sky objects tonight — ClevelandUSADeep-sky objects tonight — CharlotteUSADeep-sky objects tonight — IndianapolisUSADeep-sky objects tonight — AnchorageUSADeep-sky objects tonight — Honolulu
USA · DARK-SKY
USA · Dark-skyDeep-sky objects tonight — SedonaUSA · Dark-skyDeep-sky objects tonight — MoabUSA · Dark-skyDeep-sky objects tonight — Bryce CanyonUSA · Dark-skyDeep-sky objects tonight — Death ValleyUSA · Dark-skyDeep-sky objects tonight — Big BendUSA · Dark-skyDeep-sky objects tonight — Mauna KeaUSA · Dark-skyDeep-sky objects tonight — Cherry SpringsUSA · Dark-skyDeep-sky objects tonight — Outer Banks
CANADA
MEXICO
BRAZIL
ARGENTINA
CHILE · DARK-SKY
UK
SWITZERLAND
NORWAY · AURORA
SOUTH AFRICA
NAMIBIA · DARK-SKY
SAUDI ARABIA
SOUTH KOREA
INDIA
PHILIPPINES
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND
NEW ZEALAND · DARK-SKY
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