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Explore the Night Sky

Hubble is famous for its detailed images of distant wonders, but with the benefit of a dark, clear sky, anyone with a telescope, binoculars, or sometimes even the unaided eye can see some of the same objects Hubble observes. These catalogs of backyard-friendly cosmic targets provide information about each object and help you locate it in the night sky. Break out your telescope or binoculars and compare your observations with those of Hubble.

Quick Facts

The Ring Nebula, also called Messier 57, is a well-known planetary nebula in the constellation Lyra.

The Ring Nebula, also called Messier 57, is a well-known planetary nebula in the constellation Lyra.

Messier 16, the Eagle Nebula, provided Hubble with one of its most iconic images.

Messier 16, the Eagle Nebula, provided Hubble with one of its most iconic images.

Caldwell 104 is just one of about 150 globular clusters in the Milky Way galaxy.

Caldwell 104 is just one of about 150 globular clusters in the Milky Way galaxy.

The Whirlpool Galaxy, also called Messier 51, is 31 million light-years from Earth.

The Whirlpool Galaxy, also called Messier 51, is 31 million light-years from Earth.

Hubble's image of Caldwell 6, better known as the Cat’s Eye Nebula, reveals intricate shells of gas and dust.

Hubble's image of Caldwell 6, better known as the Cat’s Eye Nebula, reveals intricate shells of gas and dust.
To explore the Skymap, scroll, double click, or pinch/swipe to zoom. Roll over an icon to see the object, click to zero in, and click again for a detailed view. Drag the map to navigate.
Background Image: ESA/Gaia/DPAC; CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO. Acknowledgement: A. Moitinho
View full screen Skymap

Compare Your View to Hubble's

Hubble's Night Sky Observing Challenge

These monthly target lists offer backyard astronomers the sky charts and information they need to find and see some of the same objects that Hubble has observed.

Start Stargazing about Hubble's Night Sky Observing Challenge
Dark blue starry night sky. People looking through a telescope and at the sky silhouetted against the starry backdrop.
Gather your family and friends and explore the night sky with Hubble!
NASA

Hubble's Messier Catalog

Charles Messier’s catalog offers backyard astronomers targets they can observe with a pair of binoculars or a small telescope and a relatively dark sky.

The Messier Catalog, compiled by astronomer Charles Messier in the 18th Century and revised over the years, includes some of the most familiar astronomical objects that we can see from Earth’s Northern Hemisphere.

Explore the Messier Catalog about Hubble's Messier Catalog
Image center holds a dense sphere of stars in colors of red, orange, yellow, white, and blue. The stars are densely packed at image center and taper out toward the image's edges. They are on a black background.
In this image of M80, observations in ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths of light are featured. This data helped scientists learn more about the sequence of cosmic events that lead to the formation of various sub-populations of stars in globular clusters like this one.
NASA, ESA, and G. Piotto (Universita degli Studi di Padova); Image Processing: Gladys Kober

Hubble’s Messier Catalog

112 Images
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Hubble's Caldwell Catalog

The Caldwell Catalog goes beyond the work of Charles Messier, offering backyard astronomers more cosmic wonders to explore.

In the 1980s, Sir Patrick Moore compiled an additional list of night sky objects for backyard astronomers. Unlike Messier's catalog, which only features objects visible from Charles Messier’s viewing location in Europe, Moore’s Caldwell catalog includes celestial bodies found in both the northern and southern skies.

Explore the Caldwell Catalog about Hubble's Caldwell Catalog
Caldwell 11
The Bubble Nebula (Caldwell 11, NGC 7635) is the result of an extremely bright, massive, and short-lived star that shed most of its outer hydrogen and is now fusing helium into heavier elements. The star is about 4 million years old, and in 10 million to 20 million years, it will likely detonate as a supernova.
NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

Hubble’s Caldwell Catalog

145 Images
Go To Gallery

Observing the Night Sky

What's Up

Your monthly video guide to the night sky from NASA

Each month, NASA's skywatching video series shares highlights to help you prepare for your stargazing adventures and feel more connected to the real places NASA explores.

Learn More about What's Up
A stylized logo graphic showing silhouettes of an adult pointing toward the sky, while a child holding a telescope looks on.
NASA

Explore More

A man looks through a telescope at twilight.

Skywatching

NASA's tips, guides, activities, and videos for skywatchers.

Hubble Online Activities

Find your Hubble birthday image, take interactive tours, play games, and discover the universe with Hubble.

A galaxy with a large, yellow core shines against black space, surrounded by feathery, short spiral arms laced with dark brown dust and blue regions of star formation.

Hubble Posters

Downloadable versions of Hubble's iconic images ready to print and hang on your classroom, office, science center, or home walls.

Astronaut in a white space suit tethered to the Hubble Space Telescope floating in space.

Hubble Servicing Missions

Hubble’s serviceable design and modular components enabled upgrades that took advantage of advancements in technology.

Upper left: "Hubble Focus" opening of the telescope is the "O" Center: bright-white star, Center Bottom: Orange-red planet with cloud bands, Center: small, bright-white star and very small red-orange dwarf star

Hubble E-books

Investigate the mysteries of the universe, or dive into Hubble's history with our free, downloadable e-books.