FEBRUARY 2025
The Last of the Winter Nebula Months
February skies are still bursting with cosmic treasures—fiery nebulae, glowing supernova remnants shaped like jellyfish, and delicate clouds of gas and dust resembling the helmets of ancient gods. This is one of the last months to capture bright winter nebulae before galaxy season takes over. If you love deep-sky imaging, now is the time to gather as much data as possible before these targets dip below the horizon!
February 2025 Deep-Sky Targets
This list of deep-sky targets is designed to help you find the perfect object for your setup and skill level. Whether you're using a wide-field refractor, a long focal-length telescope, or even a smart telescope, there’s something here for you. Some targets, like M1, the Monkey Head Nebula, and the Tadpoles Nebula, can even be captured with compact smart telescopes, making them great options for beginners and experienced astrophotographers alike. Each target includes key details to guide your imaging session, from recommended focal lengths to ideal filters and exposure times.
IC 443 – The Jellyfish Nebula
(Target of the Month!)
Constellation: Gemini | Size: ~45' | Distance: 5,000 light-years
A tangled mass of glowing gas from a supernova explosion, IC 443 is one of the most complex nebulae to capture. Use Hα, OIII, and SII narrowband filters to highlight its intricate filaments. For a stunning composition, frame it with IC 444, a nearby reflection nebula.
Best for: Medium-wide setups (400–800mm), broadband & narrowband blending.
Thor’s Helmet (NGC 2359)
Constellation: Canis Major | Size: ~4' × 6' | Distance: 12,000 light-years
A Wolf-Rayet nebula shaped like a Viking helmet, this small but stunning target glows intensely in OIII and Hα. Best captured with a 1,000mm+ focal length, dual-narrowband filters, and long integration times (5+ hours).
Best for: Narrowband imaging with high focal lengths.
Telescope.live image data edited by Cosmic Captures
The Flaming Star and the Tadpoles Nebulae
(IC 405 and IC 410)
Constellation: Auriga | Size: ~30–40' | Distance: 1,500 – 12,000 light-years
A vibrant nebula duo that shines in both broadband and narrowband imaging. The Tadpoles Nebula (IC 410) is best captured in Hα and OIII, while the Flaming Star Nebula (IC 405) reveals its stunning blue reflection nebula in RGB imaging.
Best for: Wide-field setups (400–600mm) or detailed imaging at higher focal lengths. Or try the Tadpoles Nebula with your smart telescope.
M1 – The Crab Nebula
Constellation: Taurus | Size: 7' × 5' | Distance: 6,500 light-years
The only supernova remnant in the Messier catalogue, M1 is a dynamic deep-sky object still expanding at 1,500 km/from a supernova recorded in 1054 AD.
It is best captured with a long focal length (800mm+), narrowband filters (Hα, OIII), and at least 2 hours of integration time.
Best for: Small field setups with detailed imaging. But I have also seen promising images from smart telescopes.
Telescope.live image data edited by Cosmic Captures
The Monkey Head Nebula
(NGC 2174)
Constellation: Orion | Size: ~40' | Distance: 6,400 light-years
A stellar nursery with intricate dust lanes and glowing gas, this nebula works best in Hα, OIII, and SII. Depending on your framing, you may spot a monkey, a cat’s head… or even the Grinch!
Best for: Medium focal lengths (400–800mm), narrowband imaging. Or try the nebula with your smart telescope!
Abell 31
A Faint but large Planetary Nebula
(Challenge of the Month)
Constellation: Cancer | Size: ~16' | Distance: 2,000 light-years
One of the largest planetary nebulae in the sky, but also very faint. Requires long integration times (15+ hours) and narrowband filters (Hα, OIII) to reveal its delicate details.
Best for: Higher focal lengths (800mm+), deep narrowband imaging.
The main Moon Phases in February 2025
Planning your imaging sessions? The Moon plays a huge role in what we can capture. Here’s a quick rundown of this month’s key lunar phases:
First Quarter - Feb 5
Deep-sky imaging best after midnight.
Full Moon - Feb 12
Best for Full Moon photography, toughest for deep-sky.
Last Quarter - Feb 20
Deep-sky imaging best in the evening.
New Moon - Feb 28
The best time for deep-sky photography!
Introducing the MAP
(Moonlight Astrophotography Planner)
Introducing the MAP (Moonlight Astrophotography Planner)—your go-to guide for planning imaging sessions around moonlight conditions. The MAP helps you determine the best nights for deep-sky and nightscape photography when to use narrowband or broadband filters, and how to optimize your astrophotography sessions. Whether you're capturing faint nebulae or shooting wide-field nightscapes, the MAP ensures you make the most of every clear night.
Nightscape opportunities
February offers some excellent nightscape opportunities, from iconic constellations at their peak to stunning Milky Way arches.
During the new moon on February 28, Orion will be high in the sky after dusk, providing a perfect opportunity to capture this bright winter constellation with a dramatic foreground.
Later in the evening, the winter Milky Way arch will stretch across the western horizon, offering another fantastic scene for wide-angle nightscapes.
And in the early morning hours, the summer Milky Way begins to rise again, giving you a chance to capture its sweeping arc before the season fully transitions. This is a great opportunity to start planning summer compositions early and experiment with capturing the core in a darker sky before the nights get shorter.