Best July Astrophotography Targets: Deep-Sky Objects to Capture This Month
July is one of the best months to follow the Milky Way. On summer nights, its brightest regions stretch from Scorpius and Sagittarius in the south, and toward Cygnus overhead — a path filled with some of the best deep-sky objects to see and photograph. In this guide, we’ll move through the best July astrophotography targets, focusing first on nebulae and star clusters near the Milky Way. Galaxies are also included for more advanced observations and astrophotography.
Before heading outside, check each object in Sky Tonight. The app shows where the target is in your sky and when it is best visible from your location.
Contents
- Check the Moon Phase Before Shooting Deep-Sky Objects
- Best Nebulae to See and Photograph in July
- Best Star Clusters to See and Photograph in July
- Best Galaxies to See and Photograph in July
- More Great Deep-Sky Objects to Photograph in July
- How to easily find the best deep-sky objects for my location?
- July Deep-Sky Objects: Key Takeaways
Check the Moon Phase Before Shooting Deep-Sky Objects
Deep-sky objects are best observed and photographed when the sky is as dark as possible, so the Moon phase matters. Bright moonlight can wash out faint nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters, especially low-contrast targets like the North America Nebula, Veil Nebula, or Fireworks Galaxy.
In July 2026, the darkest period falls around the New Moon on July 14. The best nights for deep-sky observing and astrophotography are roughly July 10–18, when the Moon is either a thin crescent or absent from most of the night sky. The nights just after the Last Quarter on July 7 can also work well, especially for evening imaging before the Moon rises. Try to avoid the days around the Full Moon on July 29, when the bright Moon will make faint deep-sky objects much harder to capture.
For exact Moon phase dates, illumination, moonrise, and moonset times for your location, check our Moon Calendar.
Best Nebulae to See and Photograph in July
Nebulae are vast clouds of gas and dust where stars are born and die. Some glow brightly from ionized gases (emission nebulae), others reflect nearby starlight (reflection nebulae), or block it entirely (dark nebulae).
Nebulae vary widely in visibility. While some are visible in binoculars under dark skies, others require large telescopes and special filters. Nebulae are among the most rewarding and colorful astrophotography targets, though long exposures and narrowband filters are often needed to bring out fine details.
Some of June’s colorful nebulae remain well placed in July, too. For more targets beyond this list, check our dedicated guide to June deep-sky objects.
Dumbbell Nebula
- Alternative names: M27, NGC 6853, Apple Core Nebula
- Apparent size: 8′ × 5.6′ (0.2 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 7.4
- Constellation: Vulpecula
- Best viewed from: Northern latitudes
The Dumbbell Nebula is a planetary nebula located approximately 1,360 light-years from Earth. It is one of the brightest planetary nebulae in the sky, distinguished by its unique shape that resembles a dumbbell or a half-eaten apple.
Tips for observing and astrophotography
The Dumbbell Nebula is one of the easiest planetary nebulae to observe and photograph. If the sky is dark enough, you can quite easily see the Dumbbell Nebula with 10x50 or 15x70 binoculars. A small telescope will help you take a closer look at the nebula.
It is a bright and forgiving target for astrophotography. It can be captured with different focal lengths; however, it will appear small in wide-field setups. Therefore, you may need to crop the image or use a telescope with greater magnification. A DSLR and a small refractor telescope can show its color and shape, while longer focal lengths reveal more detail.
Cat's Eye Nebula
- Alternative names: NGC 6543, Caldwell 6
- Apparent size: 20″ (0.01 × Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 7.9
- Constellation: Draco
- Best viewed from: Northern latitudes
The Cat’s Eye Nebula is a planetary nebula located near the north ecliptic pole. It is one of the most structurally complex planetary nebulae known: high-resolution images reveal shells, bubbles, jets, knots, and arc-like features around its central dying star.
Tips for observing and astrophotography
The Cat's Eye Nebula has a high surface brightness but is extremely small. Although some observers claim to have seen the Cat's Eye Nebula through 10x50 binoculars, we still recommend using a small telescope for its observation. It benefits from a long focal length and careful tracking. Use many short-to-medium exposures to avoid overexposing the bright core, and try an OIII or UHC filter to increase contrast.
If finding and tracking such a compact object feels challenging, a smart telescope can help. Devices like the Seestar S30 Pro can automatically locate and center the target, then stack images to reveal more detail — making the tricky Cat’s Eye Nebula accessible even for beginners. Want to try it yourself? Get the Seestar S30 Pro here: US store, global store.
North America Nebula
- Alternative names: NGC 7000, Caldwell 20
- Apparent size: 120′ × 100′ (3.7 × Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 4.0
- Constellation: Cygnus
- Best viewed from: Northern latitudes
The North America Nebula is an emission nebula located 2,590 light-years away from us. In the sky, it can be found close to Deneb (the “tail” of the constellation Cygnus and its brightest star). Its shape resembles the North American continent, hence its name.
Tips for observing and astrophotography
Although its apparent magnitude suggests a visually bright object, the North America Nebula is not easy to observe because of its low surface brightness. However, some observers still claim to have seen it with the naked eye in a perfectly dark sky! We recommend using low-power, wide-field binoculars under a dark sky; a nebula filter can also help improve contrast.
For astrophotography, the North America Nebula is one of the best wide-field targets. Use a small refractor to fit the whole nebula into the frame. A UHC, H-alpha, or dual-band filter will help reveal the red hydrogen glow, especially from light-polluted skies. For a closer view, focus on the Cygnus Wall — the bright, detailed “Mexico and Central America” region of the nebula.
Veil Nebula
- Alternative names: NGC 6960, 6992, 6995, 6974, and 6979; Caldwell 33, 34; Cygnus Loop
- Apparent size: 3° (6 × Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 7.0
- Constellation: Cygnus
- Best viewed from: Northern latitudes
The Veil Nebula is the result of a supernova explosion that occurred about 8,000 years ago. This object is so large that several NGC designations were assigned to its various parts (6960, 6992, 6995, 6974, and 6979). The Veil Nebula has three main visual components: the Western Veil, the Eastern Veil, and Pickering's Triangle.
Tips for observing and astrophotography
You can try to see the Veil Nebula (especially its eastern side) with 10x50 or 15x60 binoculars, but it will look very faint. You’ll get much better results with an 80mm telescope. Good observing conditions also matter: choose a dark, transparent sky, and avoid moonlight. Under very dark skies (like Bortle 3), parts of the Veil can even be seen in wide-field binoculars as a faint haze near 52 Cygni.
For astrophotography, use a short refractor or camera lens to capture its long, delicate filaments, and collect plenty of exposure time to reveal the faint structure. Narrowband or dual-band filters are especially useful: OIII brings out the blue-green filaments, while H-alpha reveals the red emission. Frame the Western Veil around 52 Cygni, shoot the Eastern Veil separately, or use a wider setup to capture more of the whole Veil complex.
Turtle Nebula
- Alternative names: NGC 6210
- Apparent size: 16″ × 13″ (0.01 × Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 9.3
- Constellation: Hercules
- Best viewed from: Northern latitudes
The Turtle Nebula is a compact planetary nebula in Hercules. Its unusual nickname comes from high-resolution images that show a bright central region surrounded by irregular shells and outflows, giving the object a turtle-like appearance. Like other planetary nebulae, it formed when a dying Sun-like star shed its outer layers into space.
Tips for observing and astrophotography
The Turtle Nebula is bright enough to observe in amateur telescopes, but it is very small, so magnification matters. At low power, it can look almost like a star; increase the magnification to reveal its small disk-like shape.
For astrophotography, NGC 6210 is a challenging compact target. Use a long focal length, accurate tracking, and short-to-medium exposures to avoid overexposing the bright core. Collect enough total exposure time to reveal more of the surrounding structure, and consider an OIII or UHC filter to emphasize the nebula’s blue-green glow.
Best Star Clusters to See and Photograph in July
Star clusters are groups of stars that formed together and remain gravitationally bound. They come in two types: open clusters, which are loose and young, and globular clusters, which are dense, ancient stellar spheres.
Star clusters are among the easiest deep-sky objects to observe, with many visible through binoculars or even with the naked eye. They're great for beginners. Clusters are also forgiving astrophotography targets – they don't require long exposures or special filters, and they reveal beautiful fields of pinpoint stars.
Several bright star clusters that were already visible in June remain excellent targets in July. For more objects beyond this list, check our dedicated guide to June deep-sky targets.
Butterfly Cluster
- Alternative names: M6, NGC 6405, Cr 341, Mel 178
- Apparent size: 24′59″ (0.8 × Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 4.2
- Constellation: Scorpius
- Best viewed from: Southern latitudes
The Butterfly Cluster is a bright open star cluster located approximately 1,600 light-years from Earth. Its stars are relatively young – around 100 million years old – and loosely bound. The cluster earned its name from the wing-like arrangement of its brightest stars.
Tips for observing and astrophotography
The Butterfly Cluster is visible to the naked eye under dark skies and is an excellent binocular target. Through binoculars, it appears as a delicate spray of stars shaped like butterfly wings. A small telescope reveals dozens of bright, loosely packed stars, several with a golden or orange hue.
The Butterfly Cluster is a beginner-friendly astrophotography target. It is bright and wide, and it does not require long exposure times or special filters. Use binoculars, a camera lens, or a small telescope to frame the cluster together with the surrounding Milky Way star fields. Photograph it when Scorpius is highest above the horizon and choose a clear, dark southern view.
Ptolemy's Cluster
- Alternative names: M7, NGC 6475, Cr 354
- Apparent size: 80′ (2.7 × Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 3.3
- Constellation: Scorpius
- Best viewed from: Southern latitudes
Ptolemy’s Cluster is a large, bright open star cluster located about 980 light-years from Earth. It has been known since antiquity and was recorded by the ancient astronomer Claudius Ptolemy in the 2nd century.
Tips for observing and astrophotography
Ptolemy’s Cluster is visible to the naked eye under dark skies and is one of the best binocular targets in the summer Milky Way. It appears as a wide, sparkling group of stars near the stinger of Scorpius. A small telescope shows more bright stars spread across a large field; use low magnification to keep the whole cluster in view.
Ptolemy’s Cluster is an easy and beginner-friendly astrophotography target. It is bright, large, and does not require long exposures or special filters. For a wider composition, frame M7 together with the nearby Butterfly Cluster.
Spider Globular Cluster
- Alternative names: M4, NGC 6121
- Apparent size: 26′ (0.9 × Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 5.6
- Constellation: Scorpius
- Best viewed from: Southern latitudes
The Spider Globular Cluster is a bright globular cluster located about 6,000 light-years from Earth, making it one of the closest globular clusters to the Solar System. It lies near the bright red star Antares and features a distinctive bar-like line of stars crossing its core.
Tips for observing and astrophotography
The Spider Globular Cluster is one of the easiest globular clusters to find because it sits so close to the bright naked-eye star Antares. Under dark skies, it is visible in binoculars as a faint fuzzy patch, while a small telescope shows a brighter, grainy ball of light. With moderate aperture, you may notice the cluster’s famous central bar of stars.
For astrophotography, M4 is also a rewarding target, especially when framed together with Antares and the colorful Rho Ophiuchi region nearby. Use a telephoto lens or small telescope to capture the cluster against the rich Scorpius star field. No special filters are needed, but good tracking and careful exposure help keep the stars sharp and prevent bright Antares from overwhelming the image.
Northern Jewel Box
- Alternative names: NGC 6231, Caldwell 76, Cr 315, Mel 153
- Apparent size: 14′ (0.5 × Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 2.6
- Constellation: Scorpius
- Best viewed from: Southern latitudes
NGC 6231 is part of the Scorpius OB1 association and contains many hot, massive blue-white stars. The cluster is sometimes called the Northern Jewel Box because its sparkling appearance resembles the famous Jewel Box Cluster in the southern constellation Crux.
Tips for observing and astrophotography
The Northern Jewel Box is an excellent binocular target. Through binoculars or a small telescope, it appears as a compact group of bright blue-white stars. Use low magnification to keep the cluster and the surrounding rich Milky Way field in view.
For astrophotography, NGC 6231 is a beautiful wide-field target. It does not require long exposures or special filters, but sharp focus and good tracking will help preserve the color and separation of its bright stars. For a more dramatic composition, include the surrounding False Comet asterism: NGC 6231 marks its bright “head,” while nearby clusters and the reddish Prawn Nebula help form the “tail.”
Great Sagittarius Cluster
- Alternative names: M22, NGC 6656
- Apparent size: 32′ (1.1 × Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 5.1
- Constellation: Sagittarius
- Best viewed from: Southern latitudes
The Great Sagittarius Cluster is one of the brightest globular clusters in the sky and one of the nearest to Earth, located about 10,600 light-years away. It contains tens of thousands of stars packed into a dense, ancient swarm near the central region of the Milky Way.
Tips for observing and astrophotography
The Great Sagittarius Cluster can be seen with the naked eye under very dark skies, but binoculars or a small telescope make it much more impressive. In binoculars, it appears as a round, misty glow; through a telescope, especially with a moderate aperture, the cluster begins to resolve into many tiny stars around a brighter core.
The Great Sagittarius Cluster is a bright and rewarding astrophotography target. It does not require special filters, but good tracking and sharp focus are important to resolve its dense star field. Use a telescope or telephoto lens to capture the cluster against the rich Milky Way background, and avoid overexposing the bright core so the surrounding stars remain visible.
Best Galaxies to See and Photograph in July
Galaxies are enormous collections of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter. They appear as faint smudges of light from Earth, due to their immense distance.
Most galaxies are visually faint and require dark skies and telescopes. Bright ones can be spotted with the naked eye under ideal conditions and are good targets for wide-field astrophotography. However, capturing structure and details in galaxies generally requires longer focal lengths and longer exposures.
Spindle Galaxy
- Alternative names: M102, NGC 5866
- Apparent size: 4.7′ × 1.9′ (0.1 × Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 9.9
- Constellation: Draco
- Best viewed from: Northern latitudes
The Spindle Galaxy is a lenticular galaxy located about 44 million light-years from Earth. It's best known for its thin, edge-on silhouette and unusually prominent dust disk – a rare trait for its galaxy type. This dark dust lane running across its center gives it the appearance of a spindle, hence its name. Some astronomers speculate that it may actually be a spiral galaxy seen edge-on rather than a true lenticular, a point of debate.
Tips for observing and astrophotography
Due to its small size and near-edge-on orientation, the Spindle Galaxy can be quite difficult to spot in small telescopes. A large-aperture telescope under dark skies is recommended to reveal its thin, needle-like profile.
For astrophotography, the Spindle Galaxy is a challenging but rewarding target. Use a long focal length to capture its slim edge-on shape and the dark dust lane crossing its center. Since the galaxy is faint and small, accurate tracking, good focus, and long total exposure time are important. Broadband imaging works best to preserve the galaxy’s natural color and the surrounding star field; no special nebula filters are needed.
Fireworks Galaxy
- Alternative names: NGC 6946, C 12, Arp 29
- Apparent magnitude: 9.5
- Apparent size: 11′29″ × 9′47″ (0.4 × Moon)
- Constellation: on the border of Cepheus and Cygnus
- Best viewed from: Northern latitudes
The Fireworks Galaxy is a spiral galaxy located 25 million light-years away from Earth. It earned its nickname thanks to its high rate of supernovae – around ten have been observed in the past century, making it one of the most active galaxies in that regard.
Tips for observing and astrophotography
The Fireworks Galaxy is a faint object best viewed under very dark skies with a medium to large telescope. Due to its low surface brightness, it’s a challenging visual target, especially in light-polluted areas.
For astrophotography, NGC 6946 is much more rewarding than it is visually. Use long total exposure time to reveal its face-on spiral arms, star-forming regions, and subtle color variations. Since the galaxy is fairly large but low in contrast, accurate tracking, clear sky, and careful processing are important.
More Great Deep-Sky Objects to Photograph in July
Many deep-sky objects that are well placed in June remain excellent targets in July, too. Here are a few more nebulae and star clusters worth observing and photographing this month:
- Ring Nebula (M57)
- Trifid Nebula (M20)
- Lagoon Nebula (M8)
- Eagle Nebula (M16)
- Hercules Cluster (M13)
You’ll find details on these and other summer targets in our guide to June deep-sky objects..
How to easily find the best deep-sky objects for my location?
To learn what deep-sky objects you can observe, do the following:
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Launch Sky Tonight and tap the telescope icon at the bottom to access the “Visible Tonight” window.
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Choose either:
2.1. Scroll the list to the “Deep-sky objects” section OR 2.2. Tap the top panel of the window and deselect all icons except the galaxy icon to filter the list. Then you can sort the visible DSOs by magnitude, for example.
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Tap the blue target on any object to see where it will become observable in the sky.
For a comprehensive guide on “Visible Tonight”, refer to our video tutorial.
July Deep-Sky Objects: Key Takeaways
As July unfolds, the night sky becomes a treasure trove of deep-sky wonders: from the colorful nebulae and distant galaxies to the sparkling star clusters. Whether you’re a casual stargazer or a seasoned astrophotographer, this month offers unforgettable views and rewarding targets. To easily find any of these celestial objects, use the Sky Tonight app. We wish you clear skies and happy observations!
Best Deep-Sky Targets by Month: Year-Ahead Calendar
Deep-sky targets aren’t limited to July. Discover what the universe has to offer each month with our guides to deep-sky objects:
