Deep Sky Observations with Vespera Pro From February 2025 on

Conditions | Observation Overview | List of Observed Sky Objects | References

in progress

Since the beginning of May 2024, I own a Vaonis Vespera Pro telescope for observing and taking photos of deep sky objects. On this page, I collect information about observations beginning with February 2025. The photos that were taken during this phase are presented elsewhere (on the detail pages for the DSO).

Conditions

Sky Region and Objects

From February 2025 on, I observed mostly the following sky area (some observed objects are indicated):

Click the map for a larger version - it opens in a new window (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

Observation Time

The observations in this phase took place between May and July 2024 on. They typically took place shortly after dusk, when it was sufficiently dark for a successful initialization of the Vespera Pro. In May, this was typically after 10 p.m., later even after 10:30 p.m.. At the end of June, beginning of July the observations started around midnight!

Observation Location

The observations took place in Mühlhausen/Kraichgau (Germany):

Coordinates: 49° 15′ N , 8° 43′ E
Coordinates (dec.): 49,25° N, 8,72° E

Two observation sessions took place in Erkerode near Braunschweig (Germany):

52° 12' 27.2" N 10° 42' 52.9" E
52.207556° N, 10.714696° E

Equipment Used

When observing with the Vespera Pro, I only needed the Vespera Pro and my iPhone or iPad. Sometimes, I used the Gitzo Systematic High Tripod that I had acquired for my Vespera (Pro). Moreover, I purchased filters for the Vespera (Pro) that I did not use during these observations.

General Conditions

In general, the sky above Mühlhausen/Kraichgau is "light-polluted" (SQM 20.5) and does not invite you to search for deep sky objects. For astro photography, however, light pollution is not as disturbing as for visual observations.

Observation Overview

Observation Dates

Date 2025	Observed Objects	Observed Objects, Details	Remarks	Further Remarks
Feb 1 MH	Moon	Crescent of the moon (waxing)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Live images, small crescent, 14 photos
Feb 1 MH	DN: B 33 GN: M 42/43, M 78, NGC 2024	Order: M 42/43 (20 min), B33/NGC 2024 (47 min), M 78 (30 min)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Observed both objects with and without calibration frames (Masterdark); M 78 with Masterdark (I will always do this from nowon and will not mention it any further) M 42 (20 min rec.): Start 7:25/19.8, with Masterdark, for 20min IT M 42 (20 min rec.): Start 8:00/19.8, without masterdark for 20 min IT B33/NGC 2024 (60 min rec.) Start 8:36/19.9, without master for 45 min IZ; aborted after 14 min B33/NGC 2024 (60 min rec.): Start 9:00/19.93, without master for 45 min IT; 47 min were... B33/NGC 2024 (60 min rec.): Start 10:18/20.02, with master dark for 45 min IT M 78 (30 min rec.): Start 11:00/20?, went to bed around 23:45 (30 min IT), telescope ran 2:08h IT until battery was at 5% and it shut down; M 78 became increasingly fainter, probably "landed" in walnut tree...
Feb 2 MH	Moon	Crescent of the moon (waxing)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Live images; crescent a little bit wider, 8 photos
Feb 2 MH	DN: NGC 2264 GN: M 78, NGC 2237-39/46 OS: NGC 2244, NGC 2264	Order: M 78 (60 min), NGC 2244 (60 min), NGC 2264 (2:25 h)	Vespera Pro; partly with DB Filter; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	M 78 (30 min rec.): Start 7:05/19.64, 39 min/19.82; ran 60 min IT, until 8:38 NGC 2244 (Rosette Nebula; 30 min rec.): With DB filter, start 20:50/19.85 to 22:30, 1h IT NGC 2264 (Christmas Tree Cluster/Cone Nebula; 120 min rec.): With DB filter, start 22:34/20.0; 0:08 to bed after a little more than 1h IT; left VPro outside; abort at 2:20 a.m. after 2:25:20 IT with good result (battery depleted)
Feb 4 MH	Moon	Nearly half moon	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	One day before half moon, 10 photos
Feb 4 MH	G: M 31 GN: IC 443, NGC 2174 OC: M 34, M 35, M 36, M 37, M 38, M 44, NGC 2158	Order: M 31 (60 min), M 34 (20 min), NGC 2174 (60 min), IC 443 (60 min), M 35 (10 min; with NGC 2158, M 37 (7 min), M 36 (10 min), M 38 (10 min), M 44 (39 min)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	M 31 (30 min rec.): Start 6:38/18,4; 60 min IT up to 8:05 M 34 (30 min rec.): Start 8:10/19; 20 min IT bis 20:38 NGC 2174 (Monkey Head Nebula; 60 min rec.): Start 8:40/19,2; up to 10:17, 60 min IT IC 443 (Jellyfish Nebula; 60 min rec.): Start 10:19/19,5; up to 11:50, 60 min IT M 35 with NGC 2158 (30 min rec.): Start 11:52/19,8; up to 0:07, 10 min IT M 37 (30 min rec.): Start 0:08, too lazy for SQM...; up to 0:18, 7 min IT M 36 (30 min rec.): Start 0:20; up to 0:34, 10 min IT M 38 (30 min rec.): Start 0:35; up to about 0:50, 10 min IT M 44 (30 min rec.): Start: 0:57; then went to bed; abort at 1:54 a.m. after 39:10 min IT
Feb 7 MH	Moon	More than half moon	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	More than half moon
Feb 7 MH	GN: NGC 147, NGC 185 OC: M 41	Order: M 41 (30 min); NGC 185/147 (1 h)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	M 41 (30 min rec.): Start 8:15/14-17 (SQM not measureable because of the halfmoon); does not get brighter...; stopped after 30 min IT NGC 185/147 (90 min rec.): Start abou 9:00/16-17 (SQM dito not measureable), stopped after 1h IT because of fog, the image did not get brighter... NGC 404 (Mirach's Ghost, 180 min rec.): aborted immediately (10:30 p.m.)
Feb 4 MH	Moon	Moon with Golden Handle	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	Moon with Golden Handle, several attempts, many photos...
Feb 4 MH	G: M 74 GN: NGC 147, NGC 185 OC: M 45	Order: M 74 (1 h); NGC 185/147 (1 h); M 45 (1 h)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	M 74 (30 min rec.): Start 7:02/17.5; 8:07/17,3; stopped at 8:32 after 1 h IT NGC 185 (with NGC 147; 90 min rec. for both): Start 8:35/16,6???; stopped after a little more than 1 h IT at 10:05 p.m. M 45 (30 min rec.): Start 10:07/15,5???; stopped after 66 min IZ at 11:43 p.m., too foggy...
Feb 17 Erk	GN: IC 405 OC: M 45	Order: M 45 (30 min); IC 405 (30 min)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (one step higher); iPad	M 45 (30 min rec.): Start about 10:30; stopped at 11:16 after 30 min IT IC 405 (60 min rec.): DB Filter, Start at 11:18; stopped at 00:09 Uhr after 30 min IT
Feb 18 Erk	GN: IC 410, M 42, M 78 SR: M 1	Order: IC 410 (40 min), M 42 (20 min), M 1 (30 min), M 78 (30 min)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (not extended); iPad	Initialization with DB filter failed twice; I then removed the filter, which was frozen. After that the initialization worked, and the observation started... IC 405 (60 min rec.): Start at 8:27; canceled because already done yesterday (was just to test if it worked...) IC 410 (90 min rec.): Start at 8:34; terminated after 40 min IT around 9:40 p.m. IC 1805 (120 min rec.): Start at 9:45; canceled (probably not far enough around the corner yet...) M 42 (20 min rec.): Start at just over 9:50; end after a little more than 20 min IT around 10:22 p.m. M 1 (30 min rec.): Start at 10:24; end after 30 min IT at 11:09 p.m. M 78 (30 min rec.): Start at 11:11; end after 30 min IT at 11:56 p.m.
Feb 19 Erk	GN: IC 417, NGC 1931 G: M 95, M 96, M 105, NGC 2403 PN: NGC 2392 OC: M 67	Order: IC 417/NGC 1931 (30 min), NGC 2403 (30 min), NGC 2392 (10 min), M 67 (10 min), M 95/96/105 (30 min)	Vespera Pro; Gitzo High Tripod (not extended); iPad	Initialization at about 7:30 p.m. without filter, worked out... IC 405 would not work with DB Filter; removed the filter, then it worked (but I aborted it, because I had already observed it without filter the day before) IC 417/NGC 1931 (60 min rec.?): Start at about 7:45; end after 30 min IT at 8:38 p.m. NGC 2403 (60 min rec.): Start at 8:41; end after 30 min IT at 9:36 p.m. NGC 663/M103 (45 min rec. for NGC 663): Mosaic, start at 9:40; aborted, VPro hit our car... IC 1805 (120 min rec.): Mosaic (2.7°x2.7°), start at 21:46; aborted because light came in at about 10:30 p.m. NGC 2392 (60 min rec.): Start at 10:38; stopped after 10 min IZ at 10:57 p.m., because it was too small... M 67 (30 min rec.): Start at 10:58; end after 10 min IT at 11:13 p.m. M 105 (30 min rec.; with M 95, 96, ...): Start at 11:16; ende at 00:01 after 30 min IT

Bold: First observation during this observation period; G = galaxy, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster, GN = galactic nebula, PN = planetary nebula, SP = star pattern, DN = dark nebula, C = comet, SN = supernova, SR = supernova remnant; IT = integration time (net observation time)

List of Observed Sky Objects

Object details can be obtained via the links to the relevant deep sky objects.

DSO Details	Name	Constellation	Type	Remarks
B 33	Horse Head Nebula with NGC 2024	Orion	GN/DN	Together with NGC 2024; plus NGC 2023 close to B 33
IC 405	Flaming Star Nebula	Auriga	GN	Reddish nebula; no filter
IC 410	Tadpole Nebula	Auriga	GN	Reddish nebula; no filter
IC 417	Spider Nebula, with NGC 1931	Auriga	GE	Emission nebula with embedded open star cluster; together with NGC 1931
IC 443	Jellyfish Nebula	Gemini	SR	Reddish nebula, supernova remnant
M 1	Crab Nebula	Taurus	GE/SR	Small, but nice; supernova remnant
M 31	Andromeda Galaxy	Andromeda	G	Together with M 32 and M 110 on a normal photo
M 32	Satellite of M 31	Andromeda	G	Satellite galaxy of M 31
M 34		Perseus	OC	Large and nice open star cluster, reminds me of M 41
M 35		Gemini	OC	Nice open star cluster, together with NGC 2158 and IC 2156/2157
M 36		Auriga	OC	Nice open star cluster, the smallest of M 36-38
M 37		Auriga	OC	Nice open star cluster, the densest of M 36-38
M 38	with NGC 1907	Auriga	OC	Nice open star cluster, the largest of M 36-38; with M 36 in a mosaic; NGC 1907 is nearby
M 41		Canis Major	OC	Large and nice open star cluster, reminds me of M 34; not as dense as M 35-38; poor conditions
M 42/43	Orion Nebula, De Mairan's Nebula	Orion	GN	Nebula nicely captured; NGC 1977 and NGC 1980 are also on the photo.
M 44	Praesepe, Beehive	Cancer	OC	Very large
M 45	Pleiades, Seven Sisters	Taurus	OC	Somewhat large; hints of the nebulae in M 45 recognizable
M 74		Pisces	G	Nice spiral galaxy, but in the Vespera Pro just a faint dot/glow...
M 78	with NGC 2071	Orion	GE	Nice to see with Vespera Pro, together with NGC 2071
M 95	with M 96 and M 105	Leo	G	Small barred spiral galaxy, relatively faint, but the bar is visible. Forms a pair with M 96. M 96 and M 105 can be included in the normal mode of Vsp Pro.
M 96	with M 95 and M 105	Leo	G	Spiral galaxy, forms a pair with M 95. M 95 and M 105 can be included in the normal mode of Vsp Pro.
M 105	with NGC 3384/89 as well as M 95 and M 96	Leo	G	Bright elliptical galaxy; close to the galaxies NGC 3384 (elliptical) and the smaller NGC 3389 (spiral). In the Vespera Pro additionally together with M 95 and M 96.
M 110	Satellite of M 31	Andromeda	G	Satellite galaxy of M 31, faint
NGC 147	Together with NGC 185	Cassiopeia	G	Elliptical dwarf galaxy; forms a gravitationally connected galaxy pair with NGC 185
NGC 185	Together with NGC 147	Cassiopeia	G	Elliptical dwarf galaxy; forms a gravitationally connected galaxy pair with NGC 147
NGC 1931	Fly Nebula, with NGC 417, M 36, and IC 410	Auriga	GE/R	Emission/reflection nebula; together with IC 417
NGC 1977	Running Man Nebula	Orion	GN	Called Running Man Nebula because of the form of a dark nebula inside of it; together with M 42/43 and NGC 1980 (top left)
NGC 1980	Lost Jewel of Orion	Orion	OC+GN	Diffuse nebula and open star cluster below the Orion Nebula; together with M 42/43 and NGC 1977 (below M 42/43)
NGC 2023		Orion	GN	Close to the Horsehead Nebula B 33; to the left of NGC 2023 is IC 435
NGC 2024	Flame Nebula with B 33 and NGC 2023	Orion	GN	Together with B 33 and NGC 2023
NGC 2071	with M 78	Orion	GR	North of M 78 in Orion
NGC 2174	Monkey Head Nebula, with NGC 2175	Orion	GR+OC	Reddish nebula that resembles the head of a monkey; contains the open star cluster 2175
NGC 2237-39/46	Rosette Nebula	Capricornus	GN	Fitted the FOV of the Vespera Pro
NGC 2244	Star cluster in Rosette Nebula	Monoceros	OC+GN	Cluster at the center of the Rosette Nebula
NGC 2264	Christmas Tree Cluster and Cone Nebula	Monoceros	OC+DN	Needed more then 2 hours of integration time
NGC 2392	Eskimo Nebula	Gemini	PN	Round light blue spot with white dot in it, blown out
NGC 2403		Camelopardis	G	Spiral galaxy that is regarded as one of the best galaxies for small telescopes; unclear why Messier overlooked it
Moon			M	Different states

G = galaxy, GaC = galaxy cluster, OC = open star cluster, GC = globular star cluster, GE = galactic emission nebula, GR = galactic reflection nebula, DN = dark nebula, C = comet, PN = planetary nebula, SP = star pattern, A = Asterism, SR = Supernova remnant, HII = HII region (emission nebula in other galaxies)

References

Books

Michael Feiler & Philip Novak (2023). Deep Sky Reiseatlas (5th edition), Oculum Verlag (ISBN 978-3-949370-04-5)
www.oculum-verlag.de/detailview?no=608
Ronald Stoyan (2021). Deep Sky Reiseführer (6th edition), Oculum Verlag (ISBN: 978-3-938649-72-9)
www.oculum-verlag.de/detailview?no=603
Erich Karkoschka (2022). Atlas für Himmelsbeobachter, Kosmos Verlag (EAN: 9783440173602)
www.kosmos.de/de/atlas-fur-himmelsbeobachter_1074889_9783440173602