Mid-October marks a key turning point for our imaging sessions. With the First Quarter Moon arriving on October 18 and the Full Moon on October 26, our dark sky window is beginning to narrow quickly.

Between October 15 and 20, the waxing crescent Moon still sets fairly early in the first part of the night. It is the perfect opportunity to run long sessions on autumn nebulae and galaxies before moonlight washes out the night sky.

Here is our handpicked selection of deep-sky targets to point your smart telescope at this week.

1. Early Night: The Last Glow of Cygnus

Before the constellation drops too low toward the western horizon, Cygnus still provides prime targets right after nightfall.

NGC 7000 (North America Nebula):
Always stunning in the early evening. With a dual-band filter enabled (such as on the Seestar or equivalent smart telescopes), the glowing gas clouds around the « Gulf of Mexico » stand out clearly after 30 to 45 minutes of total exposure.

The Veil Nebula (NGC 6960 / NGC 6992):
If your western horizon is clear, aim for the Eastern Veil or the Western Veil (the « Witch’s Broom »). Even on a compact sensor, the sharp contrast of this supernova remnant shock wave remains breathtaking.

2. At the Zenith: The Queens of the Autumn Sky

Around 10:00 PM – 11:00 PM, once the Moon has set, the overhead sky turns into the ultimate playground for unfiltered broadband targets.

Messier 31 (The Andromeda Galaxy):
Sitting high near the zenith. In mosaic mode or centered on the core, you will easily capture its dark dust lanes along with its two satellite galaxies, M32 and M110.
Tip: No light-pollution or nebula filter needed here—standard RGB mode is essential to preserve its broad, continuous spectrum.

Messier 33 (The Triangulum Galaxy):
Fainter and more delicate than Andromeda, M33 suffers heavily from light pollution and moonlight. This moonless mid-October window is one of the best chances of the season to stack at least one full hour of exposure and resolve its spiral arms alongside the giant H II star-forming region NGC 604.

3. Second Half of the Night: Arrival of Winter Nebulae

For those who program automated imaging sequences or let their smart telescope track unattended through the night, the eastern and southern horizons come alive after midnight.

Messier 45 (The Pleiades):
The Seven Sisters rise comfortably above the horizon. To bring out the signature faint blue reflection nebulosity wrapping the cluster, stick to a pitch-black moonless sky and accumulate at least 45 minutes of exposure without any narrowband filters.

NGC 1499 (California Nebula):
Located in Perseus, this massive emission nebula responds dramatically well to dual-band filters. Whether captured as a wide-field view or assembled as a mosaic, it makes a premier late-night target.

Recommended Settings Summary

Target	Constellation	Recommended Filter	Suggested Exposure
NGC 7000	Cygnus	Dual-Band / Nebula Filter	30 to 60 min
M31 (Andromeda)	Andromeda	None (UV/IR-Cut)	45 to 90 min
M33 (Triangulum)	Triangulum	None (UV/IR-Cut)	60 to 120 min
M45 (Pleiades)	Taurus	None (UV/IR-Cut)	45 to 60 min

Plan Your Night With NightAstro

Keep in mind that target visibility depends heavily on your local obstructions: a tall tree to the east or a nearby wall to the south can easily hide your goal.

Head over to the What to image tonight? planning tool: enter your local horizon obstructions and telescope model to get the ideal target timeline and track the exact minute the Moon sets.

Clear skies to all!