MARCH 2025
Galaxy Season Begins
March is a turning point in the astrophotography calendar. It’s the start of galaxy season—especially for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. The winter Milky Way fades into the background, and instead of colourful nebulae, we now look out into the depths of space.
But this shift can feel like a dead zone—especially if you’re just starting out with a small telescope. I remember feeling exactly that when I began. But beyond the stars of our galactic neighbourhood, hundreds of millions of galaxies are scattered across the void. And that’s why galaxy season is not a pause; it’s an opportunity. Because with the right approach, you can capture stunning images—even with modest gear.
March 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 a smart telescope, there’s something here for you.
Galaxy season often favors higher magnifications, but that doesn’t mean wide-field imaging is out of the question. Galaxy groups like the Leo Triplet and Markarian’s Chain are fantastic targets for capturing multiple galaxies in a single frame, while objects like NGC 3521 and M104 benefit from a tighter field of view to reveal their structure in detail.
The descriptions below provide a visual overview of each target, highlighting some of their key features. For a detailed breakdown of all imaging recommendations, including recommended fields of view, ideal filters, and exposure times, you can download the full target list as a PDF using the button below.
Leo Triplet - A Trio of Galaxies in Leo
(Target of the Month!)
Constellation: Leo | Distance: 30-35 million light-years | Size: M65: 9.8’ x 2.9’, M66: 9.1’ x 4.2’, NGC 3628: 15’ x 3.6’ | Apparent Magnitude: ~9.0
The Leo Triplet is a striking group of three galaxies, each revealing unique details. M65 and M66 are classic spiral galaxies, while NGC 3628—also known as the Hamburger Galaxy—appears edge-on with a dramatic dust lane. Wide-field imaging can capture the trio in one frame, highlighting their gravitational interactions and faint tidal streams.
Best for: Broadband imaging with a field of view around 1 to 1.5 degrees. Or capture them with your smart telescope.
NGC 3521 - The Bubble Galaxy
Constellation: Leo | Distance: 26 million light-years | Size: ~11.0’ x 5.1’ | Apparent Magnitude: 9.2
NGC 3521 is a flocculent spiral galaxy, meaning its spiral arms are not well-defined like grand spirals. Instead, its structure appears softer and more chaotic. Surrounding the galaxy is a faint, shell-like halo of stellar material, likely the result of past mergers. Deep exposures from a dark sky can reveal this elusive structure.
Best for: Broadband imaging with high focal lengths.
Telescope.live image data edited by Cosmic Captures
M97 & M108 - The Owl Nebula and the Surfboard Galaxy
Constellation: Ursa Major | Distance: M97: 2,600 light-years, M108: 45 million light-years | Size: M97: 3.4’ x 3.3’, M108: 8.6’ x 2.4’ | Apparent Magnitude: M97: 9.9, M108: 10.0
This pair offers a fascinating contrast between deep-sky objects. M97, the Owl Nebula, is a planetary nebula formed by an aging star shedding its outer layers, while M108, the Surfboard Galaxy, is an edge-on spiral with dark dust lanes. A telescope with a moderate field of view can capture both in a single frame.
Best for: Narrowband imaging for M97, broadband for M108.
Markarian’s Chain - A Galactic Highway in Virgo
Constellation: Virgo | Distance: 50-60 million light-years | Size: Varies by galaxy | Apparent Magnitude: ~9-11
Markarian’s Chain is a visually stunning alignment of galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, dominated by the elliptical galaxies M84 and M86. The natural curvature of this chain is a great reminder of the large-scale structure of the universe. Capturing it with a wide field of view brings out the full depth of this galactic highway.
Best for: Wide-field broadband imaging, with at least 1.5 to 2 degrees of FoV. This target is also suitable for still cameras with a telephoto lens (200mm or longer) on a star tracker.
M104 – The Sombrero Galaxy
Constellation: Virgo | Distance: 29 million light-years | Size: 8.7’ x 3.5’ | Apparent Magnitude: 8.0
M104, the Sombrero Galaxy, is one of the most recognizable galaxies in the sky, thanks to its bright core and a thick, dark dust lane cutting across it. A long focal length will reveal its striking structure, while deep exposures can bring out its extended halo.
Best for: High-resolution broadband imaging. Or try the galaxy with your smart telescope!
Telescope.live image data edited by Cosmic Captures
The Great Carina Nebula - A Southern Hemisphere Gem
Constellation: Carina | Distance: 8,800 light-years | Size: 120’ x 120’ | Apparent Magnitude: 1.0
The Great Carina Nebula is one of the most spectacular star-forming regions in the sky. It contains the massive Eta Carinae star system, which is expected to go supernova in the future. The nebula is an ideal target for wide-field nightscapes and detailed narrowband imaging, capturing its towering dust pillars and glowing gas clouds.
Best for: Narrowband imaging (H-alpha, OIII, SII) or dual-band filters. But broadband works great too. Due to its large size, it can be captured with a DSLR or mirrorless camera using a 135mm lens or longer on a star tracker.
Lunar & Solar Events – March 2025
Planning your imaging sessions? The Moon plays a huge role in what we can capture, and this month brings not just the usual lunar phases but also two eclipse events. Here’s what’s happening in March:
First Quarter
March 6
Deep-sky imaging best after midnight.
Also great for capturing lunar surface details with strong shadows along the terminator.
Full Moon & Total Lunar Eclipse
March 13-14
The Worm Moon rises on March 14, marking the seasonal transition to spring. A total lunar eclipse (Blood Moon) will be visible across most of the Americas, Western Europe, and Africa, turning the Moon deep red during totality. Check timeanddate.com for exact timings.
Last Quarter
March 22
Deep-sky imaging best in the evening.
New Moon & Partial Solar Eclipse
March 29
The darkest skies of the month arrive with the new Moon, ideal for deep-sky imaging.
On the same day, a partial solar eclipse will be visible across Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. Use a solar filter for safe viewing and check timeanddate.com for details.
March 2025 MAP
(Moonlight Astrophotography Planner)
The MAP (Moonlight Astrophotography Planner)—is your go-to guide for planning imaging sessions around moonlight conditions. It 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
The Milky Way in March
For nightscape photographers, March marks the beginning of Milky Way season in the Southern Hemisphere. The core of the Milky Way rises in the early morning hours, providing incredible opportunities to capture it high in the sky before dawn. This is the perfect time to start planning tracked exposures or multi-image panoramas to showcase the rich details of the galactic core.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the situation is quite different. The Milky Way lies low along the horizon, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth capturing. Wide-field panoramas of the winter Milky Way arch remain a fantastic option, especially in the early evening hours before the Milky Way disappears completely from view. Spring is one of the best times for capturing full Milky Way arches, with crisp skies and stunning foreground compositions.
Lunar and Solar Eclipses
March also brings two major eclipse events that can be incorporated into nightscape compositions.
Total Lunar Eclipse (March 13-14): The Moon will turn deep red during totality, making for dramatic compositions over landscapes, cityscapes, or reflective water surfaces.
Partial Solar Eclipse (March 29): If you’re planning to capture it, remember that proper solar filters are essential for both safety and imaging.