Suggested Searches

February

These night-sky objects are visible in February. We invite you to find them and compare your view to Hubble's!

The Milky Way above Devil's Tower National Monument.
NPS / Damon Joyce

Hubble's Night Sky Challenge is a year-round observing adventure for amateur astronomers to commemorate 35 years of Hubble science and discoveries. This challenge can also serve as a guide for star parties. Below, you’ll find a list of Messier and Caldwell night sky targets visible during February that Hubble has imaged over the years for both Northern and Southern Hemisphere observers.

Helpful Tips

  • Some targets may be visible from most locations on Earth, while others are only visible at specific latitudes and may not be accessible for those in other parts of the world. This page has two lists of recommended objects: one for the Northern Hemisphere and another the Southern Hemisphere. For best results, we recommend using the list that corresponds to the part of the world you live in.
  • If the name of the target starts with an "M", it's part of the Messier catalog; names that start with "C" are part of the Caldwell catalog.
  • A difficulty scale of 1-3 denotes how easy an object is to find: 1 is the easiest and 3 the hardest. The easiest targets for each hemisphere are listed first, and the most difficult ones are listed last.

Northern Hemisphere Objects

These night sky objects are visible to viewers in the Northern Hemisphere.

right side of image: circular nebula with reddish-white star at center, turquoise interior with hazy, cloudy yellow-orange and red rings around the center

M46

Object Type: Open Cluster
Difficulty: 2

C7

Object Type: Spiral Galaxy
Difficulty: 2

Several very bright stars are scattered throughout the field of view, with many fainter ones behind them. Most of the brightest stars are bluish-white, while the rest have a reddish-orange hue, and some slightly-less-bright stars are deep red.

C58

Object Type: Open Cluster
Difficulty: 2

Huge grouping of countless stars, in colors red, blue, white, yellow. The closer to the center of the image, the brighter, and whiter it gets.

C25

Object Type: Globular Cluster
Difficulty: 3

At the center of the image is the dying star. It's surrounded by a white-and-orange wispy "cloud" of gas. Farther away, more gas and dust creates an orange-and-yellow circular "ring" around the center.

C39: Clown Nebula

Object Type: Planetary Nebula
Difficulty: 3

Southern Hemisphere Objects

These night sky objects are visible to viewers in the Southern Hemisphere.

Several very bright stars are scattered throughout the field of view, with many fainter ones behind them. Of the four brightest stars, two have a reddish-orange hue, one is reddish-white, and one is bluish-white.

C71

Object Type: Open Cluster
Difficulty: 1

Scattered white and reddish stars on a black background, with the largest and brightest stars to the left and right of the image.

C96: Southern Beehive

Object Type: Open Cluster
Difficulty: 1

right side of image: circular nebula with reddish-white star at center, turquoise interior with hazy, cloudy yellow-orange and red rings around the center

M46

Object Type: Open Cluster
Difficulty: 2

Several very bright stars are scattered throughout the field of view, with many fainter ones behind them. Most of the brightest stars are bluish-white, while the rest have a reddish-orange hue, and some slightly-less-bright stars are deep red.

C58

Object Type: Open Cluster
Difficulty: 2

Huge grouping of countless stars, in colors red, blue, white, yellow. The closer to the center of the image, the brighter, and whiter it gets.

C25

Object Type: Globular Cluster
Difficulty: 3

At the center of the image is the dying star. It's surrounded by a white-and-orange wispy "cloud" of gas. Farther away, more gas and dust creates an orange-and-yellow circular "ring" around the center.

C39: Clown Nebula

Object Type: Planetary Nebula
Difficulty: 3