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Astrophotography targets in February

24 targets are well placed in the February night sky, with 7 galaxies, 15 nebulae and 2 star clusters. Targets marked peak month are highest around midnight in February.

See what’s up tonight from my location January March

Type

Filter

Focal length

Hemisphere

24 targets

Peak month
Bode’s Galaxy & Cigar GalaxyM81 & M82 · Galaxy group · Ursa MajorA pair of bright interacting galaxies that frame together.Small refractor, Long focal lengthNo filter / broadbandIntermediate
Photo byNASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)(Public domain)
Carina NebulaNGC 3372 · Emission nebula · CarinaA giant, bright southern nebula around the unstable star Eta Carinae.Telephoto, Small refractorAny filterBeginner
Photo byHarel Boren (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Owl Nebula & M108M97 · Planetary nebula · Ursa MajorA round planetary nebula with two dark eyes, next to the edge-on galaxy M108.Small refractor, Long focal lengthAny filterIntermediate
Photo byNOIRLab / NSF / AURA (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Leo TripletM65, M66 & NGC 3628 · Galaxy group · LeoThree spiral galaxies in one frame, best in spring.Small refractor, Long focal lengthNo filter / broadbandIntermediate
Photo byChuck Ayoub (CC0)
Messier 106M106 · Galaxy · Canes VenaticiA bright spiral with unusual extra arms that glow in hydrogen.Small refractor, Long focal lengthNo filter / broadbandIntermediate
Photo byNASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) and R. Gendler(Public domain)
Markarian’s ChainVirgo Cluster · Galaxy group · VirgoA curving chain of galaxies at the heart of the Virgo Cluster.Telephoto, Small refractorNo filter / broadbandIntermediate
Photo byChuck Ayoub (CC0)
Needle GalaxyNGC 4565 · Galaxy · Coma BerenicesA thin, edge-on spiral with a dust lane running its full length.Long focal lengthNo filter / broadbandIntermediate
Photo byKen Crawford (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Sombrero GalaxyM104 · Galaxy · VirgoAn almost edge-on galaxy with a bright bulge and a sharp dust lane.Long focal lengthNo filter / broadbandIntermediate
Photo byESA/Hubble & NASA, K. Noll (CC BY 4.0)
Seagull NebulaIC 2177 · Emission nebula · MonocerosA huge winged hydrogen cloud between Sirius and Procyon.Telephoto, Small refractorDual-band / narrowbandIntermediate
Photo byESO (CC BY 4.0)
Thor’s HelmetNGC 2359 · Emission nebula · Canis MajorA bubble with wings blown by a hot Wolf-Rayet star.Small refractor, Long focal lengthDual-band / narrowbandIntermediate
Photo byKudoipenguin (CC BY 4.0)
Beehive ClusterM44 · Open cluster · CancerA large, bright open cluster visible to the naked eye in spring.Telephoto, Small refractorNo filter / broadbandBeginner
Photo byChuck Ayoub (CC0)
Witch Head NebulaIC 2118 · Reflection nebula · EridanusA faint blue cloud lit by Rigel, shaped like a witch’s profile.TelephotoNo filter / broadbandAdvanced
Photo bySousajp7 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Flaming Star NebulaIC 405 · Emission nebula · AurigaRed and blue clouds lit by the runaway star AE Aurigae.Telephoto, Small refractorAny filterIntermediate
Photo byChuck Ayoub (CC0)
Large Magellanic CloudLMC · Galaxy · DoradoA satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, full of nebulae, for southern skies.Wide lens, TelephotoNo filter / broadbandBeginner
Photo byRyan Trainor (Franklin and Marshall College)(CC BY 4.0)
Crab NebulaM1 · Supernova remnant · TaurusThe remains of the supernova recorded by astronomers in 1054.Long focal lengthAny filterIntermediate
Photo byNASA, ESA, J. Hester and A. Loll (Arizona State University)(Public domain)
Orion NebulaM42 · Emission nebula · OrionThe brightest nebula in the sky, a star-forming region in Orion’s sword.Telephoto, Small refractor, Long focal lengthAny filterBeginner
Photo byNASA, ESA, M. Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team(Public domain)
Orion & Barnard’s LoopSh2-276 · Emission nebula · OrionThe whole constellation of Orion with its huge arc of red nebulosity.Wide lensAny filterBeginner
Photo byHewholooks (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Horsehead & Flame NebulaeIC 434 / NGC 2024 · Dark nebula · OrionA dark horse’s head silhouetted against glowing hydrogen next to Alnitak.Telephoto, Small refractorAny filterIntermediate
Photo byESO (CC BY 4.0)
Messier 78M78 · Reflection nebula · OrionThe brightest reflection nebula in the sky, with dark dust all around.Small refractor, Long focal lengthNo filter / broadbandIntermediate
Photo byESO/Igor Chekalin (CC BY 4.0)
Messier 35M35 · Open cluster · GeminiA rich winter star cluster with the smaller, older cluster NGC 2158 beside it.Telephoto, Small refractorNo filter / broadbandBeginner
Photo byChuck Ayoub (CC0)
Monkey Head NebulaNGC 2174 · Emission nebula · OrionA winter emission nebula in northern Orion shaped like a monkey’s head.Small refractor, Long focal lengthDual-band / narrowbandIntermediate
Photo byTal Achituv (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Jellyfish NebulaIC 443 · Supernova remnant · GeminiThe arc of a supernova remnant next to the bright star Eta Geminorum.Telephoto, Small refractorDual-band / narrowbandIntermediate
Photo bySiderevs nuncivs (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Rosette NebulaNGC 2237 · Emission nebula · MonocerosA rose-shaped hydrogen cloud around the young cluster NGC 2244.Telephoto, Small refractorDual-band / narrowbandBeginner
Photo bySiderevs nuncivs (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Cone Nebula & Christmas Tree ClusterNGC 2264 · Emission nebula · MonocerosA cluster shaped like a tree with the dark Cone Nebula at its tip.Small refractor, Long focal lengthAny filterIntermediate
Photo byNASA/JPL-Caltech/P.S. Teixeira (Center for Astrophysics)(Public domain)

These months apply in both hemispheres. Targets far south of the celestial equator stay low or never rise from the north, and targets far north do the same from the south. The hemisphere filter hides them. For exact times from your location, use the forecast.