Best Deep-Sky Objects by Month: October 2025
October is very diverse in terms of deep-sky targets – you can see all kinds of them in the night sky! In this article, you’ll learn about galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters to observe and photograph in October. Use the Sky Tonight app to easily locate any of these objects in your sky.
Contents
- Best October astrophotography targets
- October deep-sky objects to see with binoculars/naked eye
- October deep-sky objects to see with a telescope
- Deep-sky objects: frequently asked questions
- October deep-sky objects: Bottom line
Best October astrophotography targets
October skies reveal nebulae and galaxies that look far more impressive in a photo than through the eyepiece. With a tracking mount, wide-field refractor, or even a DSLR on a tripod, you can capture faint structures invisible to the eye. Narrowband filters help boost contrast, while long exposures and image stacking bring out incredible detail.
👉Note that extended nebulae can still be challenging visually due to low surface brightness.
California Nebula
- Alternative names: NGC 1499, Sh2-220
- Apparent size: 2°40′ × 40′ (5 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 4.1
- Constellation: Perseus
- Where to observe: Northern Hemisphere
- How to observe: Due to its very low surface brightness, the California Nebula is a challenging visual target; an H-beta or a good UHC filter and a wide field of view are recommended. However, this is a dream target for wide-field setups (100–200 mm lenses or small refractors). Long Hα exposures beautifully reveal its red glow and shape. Narrowband filters make a huge difference under light-polluted skies.
- Description: The California Nebula is an emission nebula located about 1,000 light-years away from Earth. Its glow is most likely caused by Xi Persei, the hot blue star located beside it.
Cave Nebula
- Alternative names: Caldwell 9, Sh2-155
- Apparent size: 50′ × 30′ (1.3 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 7.7
- Constellation: Cepheus
- Where to observe: Northern Hemisphere
- How to observe: Despite its promising apparent magnitude, the Cave Nebula is too dim and low-contrast to observe visually, even with large binoculars. You can spot it with a medium-sized telescope, but it probably won’t look very spectacular. However, this nebula is a great target for astrophotography! With narrowband filters (Hα, O-III, S-II), the “cave-like” dark dust lanes show up spectacularly. Best with focal lengths of 300–600 mm.
- Description: The Cave Nebula is a diffuse nebula located about 2,400 light-years away from us. It is part of a much larger cloud of gas and dust called Cepheus B.
NGC 300
- Alternative names: Caldwell 70
- Apparent size: 21.9′ × 15.5′ (0.6 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 8.1
- Constellation: Sculptor
- Where to observe: Southern Hemisphere
- How to observe: Under very dark skies, you can see NGC 300 with 10x50 binoculars. In a 200mm (8") telescope, the galaxy will appear as a round, nebulous patch with a slightly brighter center. This galaxy responds beautifully to long exposures. Even moderate telescopes (500–800 mm focal length) show hints of spiral arms, while deep stacks bring out star-forming regions.
- Description: NGC 300 is a late-type spiral galaxy comparable to Triangulum (M33) and smaller than the Milky Way. Located at a distance of about 6 million light-years away from us, it is one of the closest galaxies to the Local Group, which also includes the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy.
Crab Nebula
- Alternative names: M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A
- Apparent size: 6' x 4' (0.1 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 8.4
- Constellation: Taurus
- Where to observe: Both hemispheres
- How to observe: The Crab Nebula is a popular target for amateur astronomers – through a small telescope, it looks like a faint smudge of light. The nebula is also bright enough to be visible in binoculars under dark skies. It can be easily captured with modest setups – even a few minutes of exposure will show it clearly. With longer focal lengths and stacked exposures, its filamentary tendrils appear in stunning detail.
- Description: The Crab Nebula is a supernova remnant powered by the winds of a central pulsar. It resembled a crab to 19th-century observers, hence its name. The Crab Nebula originated from a supernova explosion observed by Chinese astronomers in 1054 AD. The explosion was so bright that the new “star” was visible even in the daytime!
Phantom Galaxy
- Alternative names: M74, NGC 628
- Apparent size: 10.5′ × 9.5′ (0.3 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 9.3
- Constellation: Pisces
- Where to observe: Both hemispheres
- How to observe: Known for its very low surface brightness, this galaxy is hard to observe visually. Under Bortle 3 skies, large binoculars or small telescopes show a faint blur. For patient astrophotographers, it is one of the best autumn galaxies. Long integrations (5+ hours) reveal its stunning grand-design spiral arms.
- Description: The Phantom Galaxy is a large spiral galaxy located about 32 million light-years away from Earth. It contains approximately 100 billion stars.
Stephan’s Quintet
- Alternative names: HCG 92, Arp 319, VV 288, SQ
- Apparent size: 4.4′ × 4.4′ (0.1 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 13.9-16.7
- Constellation: Pegasus
- Where to observe: Both hemispheres (best in the north)
- How to observe: Stephan’s Quintet is faint and challenging – you’ll need a large telescope with a high aperture under dark skies to glimpse it. Long-exposure astrophotography (many hours) is the best way to reveal all five galaxies clearly, some visibly interacting with tidal tails. If you’re patient enough, you can get the true astrophotography “show-off” image.
- Description: Stephan’s Quintet is a group of five galaxies. One member, NGC 7320, is much closer to us at about 40 million light-years away, while the other four (NGC 7317, NGC 7318A, NGC 7318B, and NGC 7319) lie about 290 million light-years away and are physically interacting. The group is the most studied of all the compact galaxy groups.
October deep-sky objects to see with binoculars/naked eye
Not all deep-sky wonders need a telescope. Under dark skies, simple binoculars or even your eyes are enough to spot some of the season’s most beautiful sights. Binoculars give you a wide field of view that’s perfect for catching whole galaxies or rich star clusters, while the unaided eye can still reveal large hazy patches like the Andromeda Galaxy or the Magellanic Clouds.
👉 These targets are ordered by magnitude – brightest first, faintest last – so you’ll know which will be a challenge and which will stand out right away.
Small Magellanic Cloud
- Alternative names: SMC, NGC 292
- Apparent size: 5° × 3° (10 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 2.1
- Constellation: Tucana
- Where to observe: Southern Hemisphere
- How to observe: The Small Magellanic Cloud is visible to the naked eye as a hazy glow. Even small binoculars will allow you to see the galaxy’s unusual shape.
- Description: The Small Magellanic Cloud is a dwarf irregular galaxy positioned about 200,000 light-years away from us. It is one of the most distant objects visible to the naked eye from the Southern Hemisphere.
Andromeda Galaxy
- Alternative names: M31, NGC 224
- Apparent size: 3° × 1° (6 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 3.4
- Constellation: Andromeda
- Where to observe: Northern Hemisphere (low from mid-southern latitudes)
- How to observe: To the naked eye, the Andromeda Galaxy looks like a small elongated cloud of light. You can easily spot it using averted vision if the night is dark and clear. To see the galaxy’s elongated shape and brighter core, use 10x50 binoculars or a small telescope.
- Description: The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy located about 2.5 million light-years from Earth. It is one of the most distant objects that can be seen with the unaided eye under dark skies.
Double Cluster
- Alternative names: NGC 869 and NGC 884, Caldwell 14
- Apparent size: 1° (2 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 3.7
- Constellation: Perseus
- Where to observe: Northern Hemisphere
- How to observe: The Double Cluster is bright and large enough to be visible to the naked eye, even from moderately light-polluted locations. Through 10x50 binoculars, you’ll be able to see that it consists of two separate clusters.
- Description: The Double Cluster comprises two open star clusters and is located approximately 7,500 light-years away from us. NGC 869 (also known as h Persei) represents the Double Cluster’s western half, while NGC 884 (χ Persei) represents its eastern half.
Triangulum Galaxy
- Alternative names: M33, NGC 598
- Apparent size: 1° × 41′ (2 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 5.7
- Constellation: Triangulum
- Where to observe: Northern Hemisphere (low in the south)
- How to observe: The Triangulum Galaxy is bright enough to be observed with 10x50 binoculars in a location away from light pollution. With a telescope, you’ll see more details, but the wide field of view of binoculars will make your observations easier.
- Description: The Triangulum Galaxy is a spiral galaxy located 2.73 million light-years from Earth. It is the third-largest galaxy in the Local Group.
M2
- Alternative names: NGC 7089
- Apparent size: 16′ (0.5 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 6.3
- Constellation: Aquarius
- Where to observe: Both hemispheres
- How to observe: Under a perfectly dark sky, M2 can be visible to the naked eye. However, it’s still better to use 10x50 binoculars or a small telescope for its observation.
- Description: M2 is a globular star cluster located around 40,000 light-years from Earth. It is one of the brightest clusters.
NGC 362
- Alternative names: Caldwell 104
- Apparent size: 12′54″ (0.4 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 6.5
- Constellation: Tucana
- Where to observe: Southern Hemisphere
- How to observe: You can observe NGC 362 with 8x40 or 10x50 binoculars — it will look like a slightly unfocused “star”. Under clear dark skies, you can even spot this cluster with the naked eye!
- Description: NGC 362 is a globular cluster located at about 30,000 light-years from Earth. It’s a relatively young globular cluster for the Milky Way (about 10–11 billion years old).
October deep-sky objects to see with a telescope
Some October objects really come to life with magnification. A telescope lets you explore globular clusters packed with thousands of stars, planetary nebulae with strange shapes, and distant galaxies with bright cores. Small backyard scopes already show plenty, while larger apertures reveal finer details and fainter structures.
👉 These objects are listed by magnitude from brightest to dimmest, helping you plan your observing session step by step.
Great Pegasus Cluster
- Alternative names: M15, NGC 7078
- Apparent size: 18′ (0.6 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 6.6
- Constellation: Pegasus
- Where to observe: Both hemispheres (best in the north)
- How to observe: Visible as a fuzzy “star” in binoculars, and even to the naked eye under dark skies. Medium to large telescopes resolve its dense starfield, with the brightest stars sparkling at higher magnifications.
- Description: The Great Pegasus Cluster is a globular star cluster located approximately 35,000 light-years away from Earth. It is about 13 billion years old and is one of the most densely packed globular clusters in the Milky Way.
Helix Nebula
- Alternative names: NGC 7293, Eye of God, Eye of Sauron
- Apparent size: 25′ (0.8 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 7.6
- Constellation: Aquarius
- Where to observe: Both hemispheres (best in the south)
- How to observe: Due to its low surface brightness, the Helix Nebula is difficult to see. Mounted binoculars may hint at it under very dark skies, but a small telescope with an O-III/UHC filter is far more effective.
- Description: The Helix Nebula is a planetary nebula located only about 655 light-years away from us. It is one of the closest planetary nebulae to Earth.
Sculptor Galaxy
- Alternative names: NGC 253, Silver Coin, Silver Dollar Galaxy
- Apparent size: 27.5′ × 6.8′ (0.7 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 8.0
- Constellation: Sculptor
- Where to observe: Southern Hemisphere
- How to observe: The Sculptor Galaxy is one of the brightest galaxies in the sky and can be seen through 10x50 binoculars as a fuzzy elongated patch. It is also a good target for observation with 300mm (12") or larger telescopes.
- Description: The Sculptor Galaxy is an intermediate spiral galaxy located about 11.4 million light-years away from Earth. It is the brightest member of the Sculptor Group of galaxies.
Saturn Nebula
- Alternative names: NGC 7009, Caldwell 55
- Apparent size: 41″ × 35″ (0.02 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 8.0
- Constellation: Aquarius
- Where to observe: Both hemispheres
- How to observe: Through a small telescope, the Saturn Nebula looks like a greenish patch of light. Larger telescopes will reveal more detail, including two extended “handles” on either side of the nebula that resemble the rings of Saturn.
- Description: The Saturn Nebula is a planetary nebula located at a distance of about 2,000 light-years away from us. The nebula has a complex structure and includes a halo, jet-like streams, multiple shells, characteristic “handles”, as well as small filaments and knots.
Blue Snowball Nebula
- Alternative names: NGC 7662, Caldwell 22
- Apparent size: 32″ × 28″ (0.02 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 8.2
- Constellation: Andromeda
- Where to observe: Northern Hemisphere (low in the south)
- How to observe: The Blue Snowball Nebula is really tiny, so you’ll need at least a small telescope to spot it. A 150mm (6") telescope with a magnification of around 100x will help you see the nebula’s slightly bluish disk.
- Description: The Blue Snowball Nebula is a planetary nebula located at a distance of about 6,000 light-years away from Earth. It has an elliptical shape with a triple-shell structure.
NGC 7331
- Alternative names: Caldwell 30
- Apparent size: 10′ × 3′ (0.3 x Moon)
- Apparent magnitude: 9.4
- Constellation: Pegasus
- Where to observe: Northern Hemisphere
- How to observe: You can spot NGC 7331 through 10x50 or 15x70 binoculars under dark skies. A 280mm (11") telescope with a magnification of 200x will allow you to see the galaxy’s bright core surrounded by a soft glow.
- Description: NGC 7331 is an unbarred spiral galaxy located at about 40 million light-years from us. It is similar in size and structure to the Milky Way (though smaller and less massive) and contains a supermassive black hole at its core.
Deep-sky objects: frequently asked questions
What is a deep-sky object?
Deep-sky objects (DSOs) are astronomical objects beyond our Solar System that are not individual stars or planets. They include galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters — all fascinating targets for observers and astrophotographers.
What is a nebula?
A nebula is a vast cloud of gas and dust in space. Some nebulae are stellar nurseries where stars are born, while others are remnants of dying stars. Many glow in vibrant colors when photographed through telescopes and filters. Check our infographics on stellar evolution to explore the role of nebulae in the life cycle of stars.
What is a galaxy?
A galaxy is a massive system of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter bound together by gravity. We are part of the Milky Way Galaxy, and from Earth, we can also see nearby galaxies such as Andromeda and Triangulum under dark skies.
What is a star cluster?
A star cluster is a group of stars formed from the same molecular cloud and bound together by gravity. Open clusters (like the Double Cluster) contain younger, loosely bound stars, while globular clusters (like M2 or M15) are dense, ancient spheres of stars.
Can I see a deep-sky object with the naked eye?
Yes! Some of the brightest DSOs, such as the Andromeda Galaxy, the Double Cluster, and the Magellanic Clouds, are visible without any equipment under dark skies (Class 1–5 on the Bortle Scale). To see them best, get as far away from big cities as possible to avoid light pollution. Binoculars or small telescopes reveal even more detail.
How to find a galaxy in the sky?
To quickly locate any of the celestial objects listed above, you can use the astronomy app Sky Tonight. It has a database of more than 90,000 deep-sky objects, all of which are available for free! To find the object you’re interested in, tap the magnifier icon on the main screen, write the object’s name or catalog designation (for instance, “Andromeda Galaxy”, “M31”, or “NGC 224”) in the search field, and tap the blue target icon on the object’s info card. Sky Tonight will immediately show you the object’s location in the sky above you.
October deep-sky objects: Bottom line
In October 2025, multiple deep-sky objects (including the big and bright Andromeda Galaxy!) will be favorably positioned for observation. Try to see as many of them as possible with the help of the Sky Tonight app. If you’re interested in deep-sky objects, make sure to take our “Guess the Nebula!” quiz, it will amaze you!
Best deep-sky targets by month: year-ahead calendar
Deep-sky wonders aren’t limited to October. Discover what the universe has to offer each month with our guides to deep-sky objects:
