The Official Sky-Watcher Target of the Month Challenge

Official Rules:

Target is announced at the beginning of each month LIVE on the Sky-Watcher What's Up? Webcast, website, social media, and e-newsletter
Imaging only - Must provide an image by the end of the month
Email image and details to totm@skywatcherusa.com
Must provide your name, equipment, image specifications, image file, FITS file, and mailing address
Include your social media handles if you would like us to tag you in any future posts of your work
US and Canada only (please include phone # for Canada addresses)
All valid submissions will receive an official, embroidered, adhesive TOTM patch and a possible inclusion in Sky-Watcher's social media, E-newsletters, and web site
Each new year will feature a new patch design and/or color scheme

Announcing the 2024 Official TOTM Imaging Contest

Normal monthly TOTM rules apply, US and Canada only
Each month will feature a winner judged by the Sky-Watcher USA HQ team
From that list of 12 winners our panel of judges will pick a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner
Winners will be emailed their gift vouchers for purchase of Sky-Watcher products from our website
Runners up out of the final pool of 12 will recieve a consolation prize TBD
1st place: $3000
2nd place: $1000
3rd place: $500

Good Luck!

April 2024

The Solar Eclipse - Any Phase

Constellation: Pisces
UT Time 2024-04-08 18:17:19
Sun Altitude 70°
Sun RA 1h 11m 37.0s
Sun Decl 7° 35' 26.7"
Moon RA 1h 11m 36.9s
Moon Decl 7° 35' 26.7"

March 2024

Jones-Emberson 1

Constellation:Lynx
RA: 07h 57m 51.628
Dec: +53° 25′ 16.96
Apparent Magnitude: 14
Distance: 1600 light years

February 2024

Hechathorn-Fesen-Gull 1

Constellation: Cassiopeia
Right ascension: 03h03m31s.7
Declination: +64°55′22″
Distance: 1600 light-years
Apparent magnitude: ~15
Apparent dimensions: 14.5′ in diameter surrounding a 9′ diameter central region

January 2024

Sh2-308, The Dolphin Head Nebula

Right ascension 06h 54m 13s
Declination −23° 55′ 42″
Distance 4530 ly
Apparent magnitude (V) 7.0
Apparent dimensions (V) 35′×35′
Constellation Canis Major

December 2023

LBN 762: Drunken Dragon nebula

Constellation: Aries
RA: 03^h 01^m
Dec: +17° 17′
Apparent Magnitude: LOL good luck!

November 2023

vdB 1 (LBN 578)

Constellation: Cassiopeia
RA: 0^h 11^m
Dec: +57° 29′
Apparent Magnitude: Really faint?
Apparent size: 1.71 x 1.15 (deg)
Distance: 1600ly
AKA Magakian 3

October 2023

Mayall 2

Constellation: Andromeda
Object type: Extra-galactic globular cluster
RA: 00h 32m 46.51s
Dec: +39° 34′ 39.7″
Distance: 2.52 ± 0.14 Mly
Mag. +13.81
Angular size: 0.283 x 0.283 arcminutes

September 2023

LDN 1235 The Shark nebula

Image Credit: Kevin LeGore

Constellation: Cepheus

RA: 22h06m34s.77
Dec: +73°08′51″.5
Distance: 650 ly
Mag. n/a

Object Type: Dark/Reflection nebula

August 2023

Barnard 150

Image Credit: Kevin LeGore

Constellation: Cepheus

RA: 20^h 50^m 40^s
Dec: 60° 18′ 00″
Distance: 1200 ly
Mag. n/a

Apparent Dimensions: 1°

AKA IC Seahorse Nebula

July 2023

The Blue Horsehead Nebula

Image Credit: NASA/Mario Cogo

Constellation: Scorpius
RA 16h 11m 58.6s
Dec −19° 27′ 17″

Distance 400 ly
Radius 40 ly

AKA IC 4592

June 2023

Abell 039

Image Credit: NASA APOD / George Jacoby (WIYN Obs.) et al., WIYN, AURA, NOAO, NSF

Constellation: Hercules
RA 16h 27m 33.737s
Dec +27° 54′ 33.44″

Distance 3.3 kly

Apparent magnitude 13.7, Central Star: 15.59
Apparent dims .155.1″ × 154.5″

May 2023

NGC 4762 - The Paper Kite Galaxy

Image by Kevin LeGore, Esprit 150

Constellation: Virgo
RA: 12h 52m 56.05s
Dec: +11° 13′ 51″

Distance: 58 Mly

Apparent magnitude (V) 11.12

April 2023

The Box Galaxy Cluster

Image: http://www.jwinman.com/starcharts/NGC%204169%20chart.htm

Constellation: Coma Berenices

RA 12h 12m 18.7s
Dec +29° 10' 46"

Distance: 200 mly
Apparent Magnitude: 12.2
Apparent diameter: 1.8' x 0.9'

AKA NGC 4169, Hickson 61

March 2023

Hubble's Variable Nebula

Image: The Hubble Space Telescope/NASA

Constellation: Monoceros

RA 6h 39m 10s
Dec +8° 45′
Distance 2,500 ly
Apparent magnitude (V) 9.0
Apparent dimensions (V) 2′

NGC 2261, Caldwell 46

February 2023

Abell 12

Image by Kevin LeGore

(Hidden) Planetary Nebula

Constellation: Orion

RA 06^h 02^m 21.4^s
Dec +09° 39′ 07″
Apparent Magnitude: 14

(Hint: Try an OIII or UHC filter)

January 2023

Arp 273 (The Rose)

Image by Kevin LeGore

Interacting Galaxies

Constellation: Andromeda

RA 02^h 21^m 28.703^s

Dec +39° 22′ 32.65″

Apparent Magnitude: 13.7

Apparent diameter: ~ 2.6 arcminutes

December 2022 TOTM

The Witch Head Nebula / IC 2118

Image by Richard Wright

Reflection nebula

Constellation: Eridanus / Orion

RA 05h 02m 00.00s
Dec −07° 54′ 00″

Apparent Magnitude: 13

Apparent diameter: 3 x 1 deg

November 2022 TOTM

Simeis 147 / Sharpless 240 / The Spaghetti Nebula (link)

Image by Richard Wright

Supernova remnant

Constellation: Auriga / Taurus

RA: 05h 39m 06s
Dec: +27° 59′ 55″

Apparent Magnitude: 6.5

Apparent diameter: ~ 3 degrees

October 2022 TOTM

IC 63 Ghost of Cassiopeia (link)

Image by Kevin LeGore

Emission/Reflection nebula

Constellation: Cassiopeia

Designations: IC 63, Ghost of Cassiopeia

RA: 00h 59m 13s.2

Dec: +60° 55′ 48″

September 2022 TOTM

Wings of the Dumbbell Nebula (wiki)

Image by Kevin LeGore

Emission / Planetary nebula

Constellation: Vulpecula

Designations: NGC 6853, M27, Diabolo nebula, Dumb-Bell nebula

RA: 19^h 59^m 36.340^s

Dec: +22° 43′ 16.09″

Apparent magnitude: 7.4
Apparent dimensions: 8.0′ × 5.6′

NOTE: This month's target is specifically the outer wing structure of the nebula and will require an OIII filter.

August 2022 TOTM

The Soap Bubble Nebula (wiki)

Image 1 by Kevin LeGore. Image 2 by Kitt Peak

Emission nebula / Planetary nebula

Constellation: Cygnus
Designations: PN G75.5+1.7, PN Ju

RA: 20h 15m 22.2s
Dec: +38° 02′ 58″

260" in angular diameter

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