
What to observe in the sky in February 2025 with a smart telescope?
31 Jan. 2025
Best period for deep sky observation in February 2025
It is recommended to observe nebulae and galaxies when the Moon is not visible. Its brightness diminishes the darkness of the sky and reduces the quality of observations of faint and diffuse objects.
Refer to the following calendar for the best days this month.
Celestial Scene of the Month
Northern Hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
"Plan my Night" of the month
Suggested observation program you can automate with "Plan My Night."
Give each object as much observation time as you can to get the best result.
Northern Hemisphere
Using the dual-band filter is not recommended for this plan, as it involves a mix of object types.
Time | Target |
---|---|
Early Night |
Christmas Tree Cluster & Cone Nebula Constellation: Unicorn |
Mid Night |
Leo Triplet (Galaxies M65, M66, NGC3628) Constellation: Leo |
Late Night |
M13 Globular Cluster Constellation: Hercules |
Southern hemisphere
Using the dual-band filter is recommended for this plan as it involves emission nebulae.
Time | Target |
---|---|
Early Night |
Seagull Nebula Constellation : Unicorn Mosaic mode is recommended |
Mid Night |
Running Chicken Nebula Constellation : Centaurus Mosaic mode is recommended |
Late Night |
Prawn Nebula Constellation : Scorpius |
Challenging Target of the Month
Galaxy IC342
Visibility: Northern hemisphere
Constellation : Camelopardalis (Giraffe)
Also known as the Hidden Galaxy, this face-on spiral galaxy should have been one of the brightest in the night sky. However, it lies near the galactic plane, where interstellar dust absorbs and scatters its light. Despite this, it remains a rewarding target due to its relatively large size (20') and its striking structure.
Coalsack Nebula
Visibility : Southern hemisphere
Constellation : Crux (Southern Cross)
With the naked eye, you may notice a large void in the Milky Way band near the star Acrux. This void is actually one of the most famous dark nebulae in the night sky. Spanning an impressive 7°, it is too large to capture in its entirety, even using mosaic mode. However, you can still observe its most striking and high-contrast region. You can also try to compose a 2x2 mega-mosaic to get it almost entirely.