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Objects worth your photons

One page per target: when it's up, how long to integrate, which filter to use, and what to expect from each smart scope. The library grows every week.

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) in ultraviolet, imaged by NASA's GALEX observatory

Target · Galaxy

Andromeda Galaxy (M31): Smart Telescope Settings That Actually Work

M31 is the most-attempted and most-botched smart telescope target. It's too big for your field of view and brighter in the middle than the edges. Here's how to frame it, expose it, and stack it — per scope.