Summer, or Galaxy Season is upon us! That means loads of galaxies, nebulae, and clear skies (Unless you live in europe). Below are 5 bright targets that should be an ideal fit for beginner’s to photograph. This list takes into accountt he brightness of the object, ease of location (For people who do not have a GOTO mount).
1. M13 - The Great Hercules Cluster#
Magnitude: 5.8
Location: Hercules
A beautiful - albeit difficult to photograph - globular cluster in the constellation Hercules. It is one of the brightest globular clusters in the northern hemisphere and is visible to the naked eye on a clear night. It is located 22,000 light years away from Earth and contains over 300,000 stars.
We can find M13 near the star Arcturus in the constellation Hercules. It is best viewed in the summer months when it is high in the sky.
2. North America Nebula (NGC 7000)#
Magnitude: 4.0
Location: Cygnus
The North American nebular is one of the most famous nebulae in the night sky. It’s supposed to resemble the shape of North America (I don’t see it). It is very easy o find, due to it being 4 times the size of the moon. To find it, locate the star Deneb in the constellation Cygnus, and you’ll pretty much be looking at it.
3. M101 - The Pinwheel Galaxy#
Magnitude: 7.9
Location: Ursa Major
A somewhat faint galaxy, but still a great target for beginners. It is a face-on spiral galaxy, which means that we are looking at it from the top!
It is located in the constellation Ursa Major, near the star Alkaid.
4. M51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy#
Magnitude: 8.4
Location: Canes Venatici
Smilar to M101, M51 is a face-on spiral galaxy. . It is a beautiful target for beginners, and is relatively easy to find. What sets M101 apart from M51 is that it is an interacting galaxy, meaning that it is in the process of merging with another galaxy, which takes place over millions of years.
It is located in the constellation Canes Venatici, also near the star Alkaid
5. M63 - The Sunflower Galaxy#
Magnitude: 8.6
Location: Canes Venatici
A rather underappreciated galaxy, M63 is a beautiful spiral glaxy, also located in the constellation Canes Venatici.
It is located near the star Alkaid, just like M51 and M101.
Conclusion#
There are many great targets for the summer months, especially since tnhe nights are longer, and the skies are clearer. Lots of emission nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters are visible in the summer months, so get out there and start shooting!