8 Deep-Sky Targets for Galaxy Season
In the astrophotography realm, ‘Galaxy Season‘ refers to the period in Spring when the night sky offers up a buffet of incredible galaxies to observe and photograph. From early March until mid-May, the window of opportunity for night-sky enthusiasts to photograph a wide variety of galaxies is at its best.
If you are looking for the best targets for galaxy season, this guide highlights eight of my favorite spring galaxies to photograph, including options for both small refractors and longer focal length telescopes.
All of the photos below were captured by me from the city using amateur astrophotography equipment. In this article, I’ll provide a list of promising galaxies that are possible to photograph with almost any telescope.
Galaxy season runs from early March to mid-May and is one of the best times of year to photograph spring galaxies in the northern hemisphere. Popular targets include the Leo Triplet, Bode’s Galaxy, the Cigar Galaxy, the Pinwheel Galaxy, the Whirlpool Galaxy, the Needle Galaxy, the Black Eye Galaxy, and the Sombrero Galaxy.
If you’re looking for even more inspiration for your next astrophotography project, my rundown of the brightest galaxies in the night sky will help you find your next subject.
Astrophotography in the Spring
No matter which type of telescope you own, whether it’s a large SCT (Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope) or a small refractor, galaxy season is an opportunity to focus on a new array of deep-sky objects that are well-deserving of your attention.
If you are using a telescope or lens with a focal length of 800mm or less, expect most of the galaxies on this list to appear very small. A popular telescope choice for galaxy photography is an 8-inch Newtonian, like the one shown below, as it provides a large aperture (8″) and a decent magnification for most galaxies (800mm).
The telescope I used to photograph the Leo Triplet. (Apertura Carbonstar 200)
With that being said, don’t let that stop you from viewing and photographing galaxies this spring using whichever telescope you currently own.
Some of the galaxy photos in this article (such as M81 and M82) were captured using the Seestar S30 pro smart telescope from my backyard in the city.
Dark Skies Make a Big Difference for Galaxies
Because galaxies are broadband targets, they benefit greatly from dark skies. If you live in the city or under heavy light pollution, traveling to a darker location can make a noticeable difference in the amount of detail and contrast you can capture.
Unlike narrowband subjects such as emission nebulae, galaxies do not respond the same way to light pollution filters, so a dark sky site is often the best way to improve your results. Even a short drive to a darker area can help reveal faint outer structure, dust lanes, and subtle color in your final image.
What Makes a Good Galaxy Season Target?
A good galaxy season target is usually one with a large apparent size, enough brightness to stand out well in your images, and strong surface brightness so its structure can be recorded without needing extremely long exposure times.
It should also frame nicely at your telescope’s focal length, since some galaxies look excellent with a small refractor, while others really benefit from the tighter field of view of a longer focal length instrument.
For northern hemisphere imagers, the best galaxy season targets are typically highest and best placed from March through May, when many of the most popular spring galaxies are well positioned for evening imaging sessions.
Related Article: The Best Astrophotography Targets By Season
What Focal Length Is Best for Galaxy Season?
The best focal length for galaxy season depends on the size of the target, but in general, galaxies tend to look better at longer focal lengths because many of them appear quite small in the night sky.
A focal length of around 400 to 800mm can work well for larger targets like the Andromeda Galaxy or the Triangulum Galaxy, while smaller spring galaxies such as M51, M64, or the Sombrero Galaxy often benefit from 1000mm or more to reveal meaningful detail.
That said, a short refractor is still a great way to capture popular galaxy groups like the Leo Triplet or wider scenes that include surrounding star fields.
The Two Telescopes I’ll Be Using for Galaxy Season
This galaxy season, I’ll be relying on two different telescopes for my imaging projects.
The Apertura Carbonstar 200 will be a key part of my setup thanks to its large aperture and fast focal ratio, which make it an excellent choice for collecting lots of signal on faint galaxies.
I’ll also be using the William Optics FLT 132 as my long focal length refractor. With a focal length of about 900mm, it gives me the extra reach I want for smaller galaxy targets, along with the sharp, high-contrast image quality refractors are known for.
Together, these two telescopes give me a versatile combination for galaxy season, from wider compositions to tighter shots of smaller, more distant targets.
The 8 Best Galaxy Season Targets
Why do amateur astronomers and astrophotographers call the time between March and May ‘galaxy season’? The answer is that our own galaxy blocks our view of many galaxies in the night sky, so we can see the most galaxies when we see the least of our own.
Take one look at your favorite astronomy app, filter the object type by ‘galaxy’ in the planetarium, and you’ll quickly see why amateur astronomers refer to the spring as galaxy season.
This is particularly evident for observers in the northern hemisphere during early spring. The Virgo Cluster is in a prime position for observing and imaging by late March, and it is filled with galaxies.
Many of these galaxies appear small and featureless from our vantage point on Earth and do not make great astrophotography targets. Here is a list of the ones that do.
1. The Leo Triplet
Designation: M65, M66, NGC 3628
Magnitude: 8.9 (M66)
Constellation: Leo
The Leo Triplet.
The Leo Triplet is a personal favorite of mine because it offers a view of 3 distinctly different types of galaxies at once. The designation for these galaxies is M65, M66, and NGC 3628. This is one of the best subjects to try if you’re using a telescope with a focal length of 1000mm or less, such as a small refractor.
The photo above was captured from my backyard in March 2026 using an Apertura Carbonstar 200 telescope. Astronomers refer to the Leo Triplet as the M66 Group. This small group of galaxies lies approximately 35 million light-years from Earth.
2. Bode’s Galaxy and the Cigar Galaxy
Designation: M81, M82
Magnitude: 6.94 (M81)
Constellation: Ursa Major
M81 and M82 captured using a smart telescope (Seestar S30 pro)
I dare you to find a more photogenic pair of galaxies in the entire night sky. These two galaxies are equally brilliant and conveniently close together.
These factors make M81 and M82 extremely popular subjects for astrophotographers in the northern hemisphere. These galaxies are members of the M81 group, with M81 the largest galaxy in the group.
The photo above was captured using a portable smart telescope, the ZWO Seestar S30 Pro. This is a miniature telescope with an aperture of 30mm and a focal length of just 160mm, yet these galaxies still look great.
Here is a closer look at Bode’s Galaxy captured using a William Optics FLT 132 refractor telescope with a focal length of about 900mm. You can now see some of the fine details and textures of this grand spiral design galaxy in detail.
Bode’s Galaxy (M81).
3. The Pinwheel Galaxy
Designation: M101
Magnitude: 7.86
Constellation: Ursa Major
The Pinwheel Galaxy.
The Pinwheel Galaxy, or M101 as it is classified, is a beautiful face-on spiral galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major. Photographically, the core of the Pinwheel Galaxy is evident even in short exposures. To capture the outer arms, longer, guided exposures are needed.
I have photographed this galaxy many times over the years using several different camera and telescope combinations. The image shown above was captured with a large refractor telescope (Sky-Watcher Esprit 150) at the Texas Star Party in 2023.
This gorgeous galaxy is located 21 million light-years from Earth. In 2006, NASA and the ESA released this incredible close-up of the Pinwheel Galaxy, which was the most detailed image of a galaxy taken by the Hubble Space Telescope at the time.
4. The Whale Galaxy
Designation: NGC 4631
Magnitude: 9.8
Constellation: Canes Venatici
The Whale Galaxy and Hockey Stick Galaxy.
The Whale Galaxy is quite small when captured through a small refractor telescope. However, the one advantage a wide-field instrument has in this scenario is the ability to capture the nearby Hockey Stick Galaxy (NGC 4656, NGC 4657).
I enjoy the look of this galaxy, as longer exposure times add interesting details and color information reminiscent of the Cigar Galaxy.
I tried photographing this galaxy again in 2017 using a cooled CMOS camera (ZWO ASI294MC Pro) instead of a DSLR. This version is a little better because I used a refractor with more focal length (712mm).
The Whale Galaxy in Canes Venatici.
5. The Whirlpool Galaxy
Designation: M51
Magnitude: 8.4
Constellation: Canes Venatici
The Whirlpool Galaxy.
The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) is a stunning face-on spiral galaxy known for its bright core, sweeping spiral arms, and close interaction with a smaller companion galaxy.
It’s classified as an interacting, grand-design galaxy. The image above was created using a Sky-Watcher Esprit 150 refractor telescope on a night that had particularly good seeing conditions.
For my latest version of this galaxy, I used the monstrous Sky-Watcher Quattro 300P imaging Newtonian shown below. That’s a 12″ reflector, and it weighs a whopping 60 pounds!
The Sky-Watcher 300P is a beast with a focal length of 1200mm at F/4.
6. The Needle Galaxy
Designation: NGC 4565
Magnitude: 10.42
Constellation: Coma Berenices
The Needle Galaxy.
This unique edge-on spiral galaxy was the subject of one of my first YouTube videos. This galaxy has a small apparent size, especially through a small telescope.
However, this does not take away from the dynamic presence of this ‘must-shoot’ deep-sky object.
7. The Black Eye Galaxy
Designation: M64
Magnitude: 9.36
Constellation: Coma Berenices
The Black Eye Galaxy
The Black Eye Galaxy features a notable dark dust band in front of the bright nucleus. This galaxy is in a prime location for visual or photographic observation in the spring.
My latest image of this galaxy was captured using a dedicated astronomy camera and a 6″ refractor telescope. You can watch the video to learn more about this experience.
Despite its small apparent size, M64 is a noteworthy target for visual observation in the constellation Coma Berenices.
8. The Sombrero Galaxy
Designation: M104
Magnitude: 8.98
Constellation: Virgo
The Sombrero Galaxy.
The Sombrero is widely appreciated due to an iconic photo captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. This unbarred spiral galaxy is located in a vast area of black space in the constellation Virgo. Larger optical instruments are better suited for this small, yet striking galaxy.
I captured my latest image of the Sombrero Galaxy using a Sky-Watcher Esprit 150 telescope with a focal length of 1050mm. The Sombrero Galaxy appears very small at 9 x 4 arc-minutes, so it is best suited for telescopes with focal lengths of 1000mm or longer.
It is interesting to note that the Sombrero galaxy is about one-third the size of our own Milky Way Galaxy. With an apparent magnitude approaching 9.0, this deep-sky object is within range of backyard telescopes.
Bonus Targets for Galaxy Season
I couldn’t include every galaxy in this list of targets for galaxy season, but here are two subjects worth checking out. Messier 106 (or NGC 4258) is another fantastic subject for galaxy season. It is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici.
Messier 106.
Another fascinating subject to observe and photograph this galaxy season is Markarian’s Chain. This is a stretch of galaxies located in the constellation Virgo and forms part of the Virgo Cluster.
Markarian’s Chain of galaxies in Virgo.
I captured the following image of the Sunflower Galaxy (M63), revealing its softly glowing core and delicate, flocculent spiral arms. It’s a great choice for focal lengths of 1000mm+.
The Sunflower Galaxy (|M63).
Below, you will find the video I created sharing the 8 galaxy season targets mentioned above:
How to Find Galaxies to Photograph
I like to use a planetarium software called Stellarium to plan my galaxy season projects. This is free software that lets you set filters tailored to your interests.
Stellarium also provides fascinating details about each galaxy you find, including its size, magnitude, and apparent altitude above your location.
Be sure to set up your location information correctly to ensure you see an accurate representation of the night sky.
Use a planetarium software like Stellarium to plan your projects.
You can also enter your specific camera and telescope information in sensor view mode to preview the exact image scale you can expect with your system.
If you use the ASIAIR to control your astrophotography sessions, you can also use the Sky Atlas feature to locate and lock onto new galaxies you haven’t tried before.
The Sky Atlas in the ASIAIR mobile app allows you to filter targets by object type, including the galaxies that are currently visible.
Astrophotography Tips
For most galaxies, a standard LRGB approach is still the best place to start. This means using a monochrome camera for a strong signal through each filter (I use the ZWO ASI2600MM Pro).
Luminance captures fine detail and structure across the entire galaxy, while the RGB data adds natural color. If your goal is a clean, balanced image with strong overall detail, LRGB is usually the most reliable method.
My monochrome image data through each RGB filter on Messier 66.
That said, adding H-alpha data can be a great way to highlight specific features in the right target. It can help emphasize star-forming regions in spiral arms and bring out interesting emission detail in galaxies like M81 and M82.
I think of H-alpha as an enhancement layer rather than a replacement for luminance, because it works best when blended in carefully and used to support the broadband data already in the image.
My latest image of Messier 82. 6 Hours in LRGB, 2 Hours Ha.
It is also worth matching your expectations to the size of the target and your focal length. Many galaxies are surprisingly small, so longer focal lengths will usually produce more satisfying results, while wider setups are often better suited to galaxy pairs or groups like the Leo Triplet.
No matter what gear you use, total integration time is one of the biggest factors in a successful galaxy image, especially when you are trying to reveal faint outer structure without overprocessing the core.
Final Thoughts
Capturing galaxies is one of the most enjoyable challenges in astrophotography. Even though many of them appear quite small through the camera, they are some of the most rewarding targets you can photograph.
There is something special about pulling out the delicate spiral arms, dust lanes, and glowing core of a distant island of stars from your own backyard.
Galaxy season is a chance to test your patience, improve your processing skills, and come away with images that feel truly earned. For me, that challenge is exactly what makes photographing galaxies so much fun.
Great post, I was just looking for something like this. Considering how most galaxies are relatively small targets, what type of scope and focal length would ideally capture their details?
Thanks, Ivan. An 8″ SCT such as the Celestron C8 has a focal length of 2032mm, so that could capture most of these galaxies in detail. That added focal length means that accurate guiding is essential to produce a sharp image.
Hi Trevor,
I just watched your You Tube video on processing the Rosette Nebula. Stunning image and a great walk through using DSS and Photoshop. I just got my first telescope last month (Celestron Evolution 9.25) and have been working on the easy stuff so far. I bought an inexpensive CCD camera and realize that I will have to get a better camera either CCD or DSLR. Would I be better off purchasing a higher end DSLR or a CCD camera? I mainly plan to image Nebula and Galaxies and wonder which would be better for that purpose. Thank you and I absolutely love your work!
Thanks, Rex. That is a really tough call. I am right in the middle of testing a new CCD camera, and just tonight got some decent results. It all comes down to what you can see yourself enjoying the most down the road.
If you can put up with the added software and even steeper learning curve, perhaps a CCD at this stage would set you on the right track for your imaging goals well into the future.
This opens the door to complete narrowband imaging – which means more time and money, but the potential for jaw-dropping images.
Thanks for the kind words, and let me know what you decide:)
Trevor,
I enjoyed watching your video on the 8 galaxy targets and have learned a great deal from all of your VlOG. I am considering having my Canon t6s astro modified the DSOs. Will this conversion help with capturing the colors in the galaxies? I think it wont because the removal of the Ir Cut filter lets in the reds more commonly seen in nebulae and from all of the images i have seen so far, there are not any red galaxies. Am i right?
Thanks, Kenneth. You’re right, it’s mostly for picking up the reds in emission nebulae. However, a number of galaxies have nebulae located within them such as the Triangulum galaxy. The difference between M33 taken with a modified camera and a stock version is huge!
Hi Trevor,
Just completed watching your tutorial on the California Nebula, and it is really good. My question involves white balance. I have a camera that has been modified for full spectrum. Using the California Nebula as an example, I am guessing that for the RGB version of the image, I would do a custom white balance on a sunny day using the 18% gray card. Or if I wanted to use a LPF, I would do the custom white balance with the LPF filter in place?
And for the HA image, since all I would be interested in is the Red Channel, that no White Balance is necessary.
My initial experimentation with this on the RGB version was to set no custom no White Balance where I took about 50 images, but too short an exposure, and the whole image is red with it hard to separate the nebula from the rest of the image. I was anxious to try something and hadn’t yet figured out I should perhaps do something with White Balance. I now have the 18% gray card and know how to set Custom White Balance. But there is very little that I can find on line to guide me through these steps.
Thanks
Hi Jim. Thanks for the kind words. About the white balance. I use auto white-balance while shooting RGB with the DSLR. After stacking the images in DSS, my image will be anywhere from grey to pink. A quick initial white balance can be performed on the image using the Levels > Set Gray Point Eye Dropper. (the middle one) – This should create a gray sky and the true color of the DSO.
To get a real accurate color of the sky/DSO you can edit the levels of each channel separately – around 30/30/30 for a neutral sky works well.
For Ha images – you will only pull out the red channel to use in your RGB-Ha composite. So white balance is not an issue.
So basically what I’m saying is that I start by shooting Auto WB, and then make all adjustments afterwards in Photoshop. These same adjustments could be made on each frame before stacking, if you prefer.
Hope this helps.
As always a great job Trevor.Very well documented and Pictures are fantastic. No joy here all bad this spring so u keep them coming Hi . Astrobill
Trevor i forgot to ask if u used any filter for these gal? Thanks Astrobill
Hi Trevor, been looking in your website for inspiring information and want this year to equip myself with a decent dedicated camera. Recently purchased a C-9.25 and mounting it on my EQR-pro as soon as i get back home. I would like for you to challenge me in a good galaxy to visually gaze at for my first try with my C-9.25. If you can ??
Great targets, unfortunately, some are not visible to us Southern Hemisphere astro nerds.. any chance you could do a list for us?
Nice list! To make it more usable, could you add the angular size of objects, or the angle of view of your images, and maybe the integration time?
Thanks Trevor! As far as sub-frame exposure time, what can you recommend as a starting point? In particular, I am referring to the closer and brighter galaxies. I usually take 3-minute subs for nebulae, but is there a danger of “blowing out” highlights with 3-minuite subs? I’ll be using the WO Redcat 51, Zenithstar 73 and the Askar 103 APO, all on the AM3.
Thanks, David
Hi David. Stick with 3-minute subs – that should work out well for all of the galaxies listed here!