Looking for ideas? This is the list of objects I’m planning to image from my little corner of the UK, or have imaged in the past (those with links).

I’ve brought it together from sources such as Patrick Moore’s 100 Best Astrophotography Targets, Stephen James O’Meara’s Hidden Treasures List, and Gary Imm’s series of catalogs, then whittling it down to objects with suitable size, magnitude and location for me to image.

The Midnight Transit column is when an object is overhead, at my longitude, at midnight, because that gives me the longest time to image it with the least atmospheric turbulence. It’s based on the Norfolk Astronomical Society’s Transit Time calculator. If you’re within an hour either way of the Greenwich meridian, these dates are probably about right for you too.

You don’t have to image them on these dates! For example, in the UK we get no astronomical darkness at all between mid-May and the end of July, so it’s probably best to choose your own dates. But these are a start, and they separate out objects nicely so there’s always something to be planning for.

I’ve grouped some of these objects, for example the Leo Triplet, because they’re generally captured as one image. In these cases, I’ve listed the RA and Dec as where the middle of those objects would be for framing, and calculated the arcmin based on photos of them uploaded to the Astrometry site, or shots stored at Astrobin, by multiplying the dimensions in pixels by the arcseconds per pixel.

If viewing on a mobile device you might need to look at this in landscape mode, or scroll left/right to see all the columns.

Midnight Transit	Designation	RA	Dec	Name	Mag	Arcmin
1 Jan	Barnard 33	05:41:10	-02:20:44	Horsehead and Flame Nebula	6.8	115×87
3 Jan	M78	05:46:47	00:00:50	Messier 78 Reflection Nebula	8.3	8×6
4 Jan	M37	05:52:18	32:33:11	Open Clusters M37 with NGC 1907	6.2	77×58
8 Jan	M35	06:08:31	24:17:14	Open Clusters M35 and NGC 2158	5.3	28×28
10 Jan	IC 443	06:18:03	22:39:36	Jellyfish Nebula	12.0	50×40
14 Jan	NGC 2244	06:32:02	04:56:34	Rosette Nebula	9.0	126×115
16 Jan	NGC 2264	06:40:58	09:53:42	Cone Nebula and Christmas Tree	3.9	20×20
22 Jan	M50	07:02:48	-08:20:16	Messier 50 Open Cluster	6.3	16×16
30 Jan	NGC 2403	07:36:51	65:36:09	NGC 2403 Spiral Galaxy	8.9	23×12
31 Jan	NGC 2419	07:38:09	38:52:55	Intergalactic Wanderer	10.4	4.1×4.1
2 Feb	M46	07:41:46	-14:48:36	Open Clusters M46 and M47	6.0	175×132
6 Feb	NGC 2506	08:00:01	-10:46:12	NGC 2506 Open Cluster	7.6	7×7
10 Feb	M48	08:13:43	-05:45:00	Messier 48 Open Cluster	5.5	54×54
17 Feb	M44	08:40:24	19:40:01	Beehive Open Cluster	3.7	95×95
19 Feb	M67	08:51:18	11:48:00	King Cobra Open Cluster	6.1	30×30
24 Feb	NGC 2775	09:10:20	07:02:17	Black-browed Spiral Galaxy	10.3	4.5×4.5
29 Feb	NGC 2903	09:32:10	21:30:03	Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 2903	8.8	13×7
5 Mar	M81	09:55:33	69:03:55	Bode’s Galaxy	6.9	21×10
5 Mar	M82	09:55:52	69:40:47	Cigar Galaxy	8.4	9×4
7 Mar	NGC 3115	10:05:14	-07:43:07	Spindle Lenticular Galaxy	9.2	8.3×8.3
10 Mar	NGC 3190	10:18:00	21:50:39	Hickson 44 Galaxy Group	12.0	30×16
17 Mar	M95	10:43:58	11:42:13	Galaxy Pair M95 and M96	11.4	63×46
18 Mar	M96	10:46:46	11:49:12	Messier 96 Galaxy	9.2	6×4
25 Mar	M97	11:14:48	55:01:09	Owl Nebula with M108 Nebula	9.9	78×57
26 Mar	M66 group	11:19:46	13:16:13	Leo Triplet	9.3	67×48
26 Mar	NGC 3626	11:20:04	18:21:25	NGC 3626 Spiral Galaxy	10.9	3.1×3.1
29 Mar	NGC 3718	11:32:35	53:04:04	Galaxy NGC 3718 & 3729	10.6	34×23
5 Apr	M109	11:57:36	53:22:28	Galaxy M109 Galaxy	10.6	8×5
09 Apr	NGC 4236	12:16:42	69:27:45	NGC 4236 Barred Spiral Galaxy	9.7	19×19
9 Apr	M98	12:13:48	14:54:02	Messier 98 Galaxy	10.1	12×3
10 Apr	M106	12:18:58	47:18:13	Messier 106 Galaxy	8.4	18×8
10 Apr	NGC 4244	12:17:30	37:48:26	Silver Needle Galaxy	10.0	16×2
10 Apr	M99	12:18:50	14:24:59	Messier 99 Galaxy	9.9	5.4×4.8
11 Apr	M100	12:22:55	15:49:21	Messier 100 Galaxy and NGC 4312	9.5	57×40
11 Apr	M61	12:21:55	04:28:25	Messier 61 Galaxy	9.7	6×5.5
12 Apr	Markarian’s Chain	12:31:15	13:13:05	Markarian’s Chain full complex	9.0	225×225
12 Apr	Markarian’s Chain	12:27:32	13:08:23	Markarian’s Chain	9.0	101×68
12 Apr	NGC 4449	12:28:11	44:05:37	NGC 4449 Irregular galaxy	9.4	5.1×5.1
12 Apr	M85	12:25:24	18:11:28	Messier 85 Galaxy	9.1	7.1×5.2
13 Apr	M49	12:29:47	08:00:02	Messier 49 Galaxy	8.4	9×7.5
13 Apr	M87	12:30:49	12:23:28	Messier 87 Galaxy	8.6	7×7
13 Apr	M88	12:31:59	14:25:14	Messier 88 Galaxy	9.6	7×4
14 Apr	NGC 4559	12:35:58	27:57:35	NGC 4559 Spiral Galaxy	9.9	11×11
14 Apr	M89	12:35:40	12:33:22	Messier 89 Galaxy	9.8	4×4
14 Apr	NGC 4565	12:36:21	25:59:15	Needle Galaxy	10.4	16×3
14 Apr	M91	12:35:26	14:29:47	Messier 91 Galaxy	10.2	5.4×4.4
15 Apr	M104	12:39:59	-11:37:23	Sombrero Galaxy	9.0	9×4
15 Apr	M90	12:36:50	13:09:46	Messier 90 Galaxy	9.5	9.5×4.5
15 Apr	M58	12:37:44	11:49:05	Messier 58 Galaxy	9.7	5.5×4.5
16 Apr	NGC 4631	12:42:08	32:32:29	Whale Galaxy & Crowbar Galaxy	9.8	68×44
16 Apr	M60	12:43:40	11:33:09	Messier 60 Galaxy	8.8	7×6
16 Apr	M59	12:42:02	11:38:49	Messire 59 Galaxy	9.6	5×3.5
18 Apr	M94	12:50:53	41:07:13	Messier 94 Spiral Galaxy	9.0	11×9
18 Apr	NGC 4697	12:48:36	-05:48:03	Olive Galaxy	9.2	6×4
18 Apr	NGC 4725	12:50:27	25:30:03	Ringed Galaxy NGC 4725	10.1	11×8
20 Apr	M64	12:56:44	21:40:58	Black Eye Galaxy	9.4	11×5
20 Apr	NGC 4889	13:00:08	27:58:37	Coma Cluster	11.4	60×60
23 Apr	NGC 5005	13:10:56	37:03:32	NGC 5005 Spiral Galaxy	9.8	5.4×5.4
24 Apr	M53	13:12:55	18:10:05	Messier 53 Globular Cluster	7.6	13×13
24 Apr	M63	13:15:49	42:01:45	Sunflower Galaxy	9.3	12×8
28 Apr	M51	13:29:53	47:11:43	Whirlpool Galaxy M51	8.4	11×8
30 Apr	NGC 5248	13:37:32	08:53:06	NGC 5248 Spiral Galaxy	10.2	6.5×6.5
1 May	M3	13:42:12	28:22:38	Messier 3 Globular Cluster	6.2	18×18
6 May	M101	14:03:13	54:20:56	Pinwheel Galaxy	7.9	29×27
23 May	M102	15:06:30	55:45:48	Messier 102 Galaxy	9.9	5.2×2.3
26 May	M5	15:18:33	02:04:52	Messier 5 Globular Cluster	12.1	23×23
16 Jun	M13	16:41:42	36:27:41	Great Globular Cluster	5.8	17×17
17 Jun	M12	16:47:14	-01:56:55	Messier 12 Globular Cluster	7.7	16×16
20 Jun	M10	16:57:09	-04:06:01	Messier 10 Globular Cluster	6.6	15×15
25 Jun	M92	17:17:07	43:08:09	Messier 92 Globular Cluster	6.4	11×11
30 Jun	M14	17:37:36	03:14:45	Messier 14 Globular Cluster	7.6	12×12
5 Jul	NGC 6543	17:58:33	66:38:00	Cat’s Eye Nebula	8.2	23×20
18 Jul	M11	18:51:05	-06:16:12	Wild Duck Open Cluster	6.3	14×14
25 Jul	M56	19:16:36	30:11:01	Messier 56 Globular Cluster	8.3	7×7
3 Aug	M71	19:53:46	18:46:45	Messier 71 Globular Cluster	8.2	7×7
5 Aug	M27	19:59:36	22:43:16	Dumbbell Nebula	7.4	8×5
8 Aug	NGC 6885	20:12:01	26:28:41	20 Vulpeculae Open Cluster	6.0	7×7
8 Aug	NGC 6888	20:12:07	38:21:18	Crescent Nebula	7.4	20×10
9 Aug	IC 1318	20:16:48	41:57:25	IC 1318 Bright Nebula	7.4	18×12
11 Aug	M29	20:23:56	38:31:23	Messier 29 Open Cluster	7.1	7×7
13 Aug	NGC 6939	20:31:30	60:39:43	Cluster NGC 6939 Open Cluster	7.8	5×5
14 Aug	NGC 6946	20:34:52	60:09:13	Fireworks Galaxy	9.6	23×23
14 Aug	NGC 6934	20:34:11	07:24:16	Delphinus Globular Cluster A	8.9	5.9×5.9
17 Aug	NGC 6960	20:45:38	30:42:30	Veil Nebula ‘Witch’s Broom’	7.0	70×6
18 Aug	IC 5070	20:51:00	44:22:12	Pelican Nebula	8.0	60×50
18 Aug	B150	20:51:05	60:10:48	Sea Horse Dark Nebula	12.0	71×53
19 Aug	IC 1396	21:39:00	57:29:24	Elephant’s Trunk Nebula (entire)	3.5	320×210
19 Aug	IC 1396	21:34:43	57:32:44	Elephant’s Trunk Nebula (central)	3.5	75×55
19 Aug	NGC 6992	20:56:19	31:44:35	The Eastern Veil Nebula	9.3	115×79
20 Aug	Cygnus Wall Nebula	20:58:08	43:47:42	Cygnus Wall Nebula	4.0	72×48
20 Aug	NGC 7000	20:58:47	44:19:48	North America Nebula	4.0	120×100
21 Aug	NGC 7023	21:01:37	68:09:48	Iris Nebula	6.8	18×18
28 Aug	M39	21:32:02	48:26:00	Messier 39 Open Cluster	5.5	32×32
28 Aug	M15	21:29:58	12:10:01	Messier 15 Globular Cluster	6.2	18×18
29 Aug	M2	21:33:27	-00:49:24	M2 Globular Cluster	6.3	16×16
3 Sep	IC 5146	21:53:24	47:16:01	Cocoon Nebula	7.2	12×12
8 Sep	NGC 7243	22:15:08	49:53:53	NGC 7243 Open Cluster	6.4	21×21
14 Sep	NGC 7331	22:37:04	34:24:57	Deer Lick Galaxy Group	10.4	25×20
14 Sep	Stephan’s Quintet	22:36:02	33:57:40	Stephan’s Quintet	14.4	4×4
16 Sep	NGC 7380	22:47:21	58:07:55	Wizard Nebula	7.2	25×20
19 Sep	SH2-155	22:57:17	62:28:33	Cave Nebula	7.7	50×30
21 Sep	M52	23:24:48	61:35:35	M52 Open Cluster	6.9	16×16
21 Sep	NGC 7635	23:20:48	61:12:06	Bubble Nebula	10.0	15×8
21 Sep	NGC 7479	23:04:57	12:19:22	Snake Galaxy Barred Spiral Galaxy	11.0	4.1×4.1
5 Oct	NGC 7822	00:01:09	67:25:17	NGC 7822 and Ced 214	3.0	90×20
6 Oct	NGC 7814	00:03:15	16:08:43	Electric Arc Spiral Galaxy	10.5	6.3×6.3
13 Oct	NGC 147	00:33:12	48:30:32	NGC 147 Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy	9.3	12.9×12.9
15 Oct	NGC 185	00:38:58	48:20:15	NGC 185 Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy	9.2	11.5×11.5
16 Oct	M31	00:42:44	41:16:00	Andromeda Galaxy	3.4	178×63
16 Oct	M32	00:42:42	40:51:55	Messier 32 Galaxy	8.1	8×6
17 Oct	NGC 188	00:48:26	85:15:18	NGC 188 Open Cluster	8.1	14×14
17 Oct	NGC 246	00:47:03	-11:52:19	Skull Nebula	10.2	5×4
18 Oct	NGC 281	00:52:25	56:33:54	Pacman Nebula	7.4	35×30
21 Oct	IC 1613	01:04:48	02:07:04	IC 1613 Irregular galaxy	9.3	12×12
25 Oct	NGC 457	01:19:35	58:17:13	ET Open Cluster	6.4	20×20
28 Oct	NGC 559	01:29:31	63:18:07	NGC 559 Open Cluster	9.5	4×4
29 Oct	M33	01:33:51	30:39:36	Triangulum Galaxy	5.7	60×35
29 Oct	M103	01:33:23	60:39:00	Messier 103 Open Cluster	7.4	6×6
29 Oct	M74	01:36:42	15:47:01	Messier 74 Spiral Galaxy	10.0	10×10
1 Nov	NGC 663	01:47:09	61:14:06	NGC 663 Open Cluster	7.1	16×16
4 Nov	NGC 752	01:57:48	37:51:00	NGC 752 Open Cluster	5.7	75×75
4 Nov	NGC 772	01:59:20	19:00:27	Nautilus Galaxy	10.3	7×5
8 Nov	VdB152	02:13:02	70:10:37	Wolf’s Cave and the Cepheus Flare Nebula	9.3	112×73
9 Nov	NGC 869 & NGC 884	02:20:00	57:08:00	Double Cluster	4.0	95×57
10 Nov	NGC 891	02:22:33	42:20:54	Outer Limits Spiral Galaxy	10.0	14×14
11 Nov	IC 1795	02:25:44	62:06:13	Fish Head Nebula	7.0	12×12
11 Nov	NGC 925	02:27:17	33:34:44	Barred Spiral Galaxy	10.7	11×6
13 Nov	IC 1805	02:32:42	61:27:00	Heart Nebula	18.3	150×150
15 Nov	M34	02:42:07	42:44:46	Messier 34 Open Cluster	5.5	35×35
15 Nov	M77	02:42:41	-00:00:48	Messier 77 Spiral Galaxy	9.6	7×6
17 Nov	IC 1848	02:51:06	60:24:36	Soul Nebula	6.5	18×18
25 Nov	NGC 1275	03:19:48	41:30:42	Perseus A Galaxy String	11.6	130×130
1 Dec	M45	03:46:34	24:08:08	Pleiades Asterism	1.6	89×70
1 Dec	IC 342	03:46:49	68:05:46	Spiral Galaxy IC 342 Galaxy	9.1	18×17
6 Dec	NGC 1499	04:03:18	36:25:19	California Nebula	6.0	145×40
12 Dec	Mel 25	04:27:00	15:52:00	Hyades Open Cluster	0.5	329×329
24 Dec	IC 405	05:17:24	34:22:48	Flaming Star Nebula	6.0	30×19
26 Dec	NGC 1893	05:22:44	33:24:43	Tadpole Emission Nebula	7.5	40×30
27 Dec	M38	05:28:43	35:51:18	Open Cluster M38 with NGC 1907	7.4	82×67
29 Dec	M42	05:35:17	-05:23:28	Orion Nebula and Running Man Nebula	4.0	55×41
29 Dec	M36	05:36:18	34:08:24	Messier 36 Open Cluster	6.3	12×12
29 Dec	M1	05:34:32	22:00:52	Crab Nebula Supernova Remnant	8.4	6×4
29 Dec	M43	05:35:31	-05:16:12	De Mairan’s Nebula	9.0	20×15