AL/NASA 35 Years of Hubble April Challenge

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Last month, we discussed the Hubble’s Night Sky Observing Challenge and the March targets announced by the Astronomical League and NASA to celebrate 35 Years of the Hubble Space Telescope. These organizations have announced a new set of targets for the month of April. Read on to find out more.

Explore the Night Sky Like Hubble!

You can help celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope by taking on the Hubble’s Night Sky Observing Challenge! With a telescope, clear skies, and some star charts, you can observe incredible celestial objects, like nebulae and galaxies, that Hubble has photographed from space. Each month in 2025, a new list of targets will be shared, encouraging stargazers worldwide to find and enjoy these cosmic wonders.

Earn Awards for Stargazing

The Astronomical League and NASA invite everyone, regardless of experience, to join this year-long challenge. Earn silver or gold awards by observing the monthly objects, sharing your discoveries with others through outreach, and comparing your observations to Hubble’s images. Whether you’re an amateur astronomer or part of a star party group, this program is a fantastic way to learn more about the universe while celebrating Hubble’s legacy. The silver award consists of a certificate for taking part in the monthly objectives, while the gold award for completing the objectives each month throughout 2025 consists of a certificate and a pin from the Astronomical League.

April Targets

As we’re in the middle of Galaxy Season, take note that eight of the nine targets for this month are galaxies. For your convenience, you can download this target list in either a CSV format (with names, constellation, coordinates, etc.) or in a SkySafari skylist format, that you can import directly into the app, by simply downloading it to your device and opening it.

  • M65 (NGC 3623) – An elegant spiral galaxy in Leo, slightly tilted to our line of sight, making its dust lanes and central bulge easy to observe.

    M65 & M66 - Part of the Leo Triplet - Photo by DAS Member Charlie Hagen - Esprit 100ED, QHY268M, Antlia HaLRGB 150 hours
    M65 & M66 – Part of the Leo Triplet – Photo by DAS Member Charlie Hagen – Esprit 100ED, QHY268M, Antlia HaLRGB 150 hours

  • M66 (NGC 3627) – A bright, asymmetric spiral galaxy in Leo, often paired with M65, forming part of the famous Leo Triplet.

    M66 - Leo Triplet - M81 - Cigar Galaxy (right) - Photo by DAS Member Doug Triggs - Sky-WatcherEsprit 100ED, ZWOASI2600MM - Blue, Green, Lum and Red filters - Processed with PixInsight and NINA.
    M66 – Leo Triplet – M81 – Cigar Galaxy (right) – Photo by DAS Member Doug Triggs – Sky-WatcherEsprit 100ED, ZWOASI2600MM – Blue, Green, Lum and Red filters – Processed with PixInsight and NINA.

  • M81 (NGC 3031) – Bode’s Galaxy – A stunning spiral galaxy in Ursa Major with a bright core and sweeping arms, easily visible in binoculars.

    M81 - Bode's Galaxy (center) - Photo by DAS Member Andy Culler - Askar80PHQ with ZWOASI2600MM Pro - Blue, Green, H-Alpha 3nm, Luminance, and Red filters - Processed with Adobe Photoshop and PixInsight.
    M81 – Bode’s Galaxy (center) – Photo by DAS Member Andy Culler – Askar80PHQ with ZWOASI2600MM Pro –
    Blue, Green, H-Alpha 3nm, Luminance, and Red filters – Processed with Adobe Photoshop and PixInsight.

  • M82 (NGC 3034) – The Cigar Galaxy – A starburst galaxy in Ursa Major with a distinctive elongated shape, offering a dramatic view of rapid star formation.

    M81 & M82 - Bode’s Galaxy and the Cigar Galaxy - Photo by DAS Member Charlie Hagen - Esprit 100ED, QHY268M, Antlia HaLRGB 150 hours
    M82 – The Cigar Galaxy (left) – Photo by DAS Member Charlie Hagen – Esprit 100ED, QHY268M, Antlia HaLRGB 150 hours

  • M95 (NGC 3351) – A barred spiral galaxy in Leo, showcasing a bright central core surrounded by a prominent ring of star-forming regions.

    M95 - NASA, ESA, STScI, and D. Calzetti (University of Massachusetts, Amherst) and R. Chandar (University of Toledo)
    M95 – NASA, ESA, STScI, and D. Calzetti (University of Massachusetts, Amherst) and R. Chandar (University of Toledo)

  • M96 (NGC 3368) – The brightest galaxy in the Leo Group, this spiral galaxy displays subtle spiral arms and a bright nucleus.

    M96 - ESA/Hubble & NASA and the LEGUS Team; Acknowledgment: R. Gendler
    M96 – ESA/Hubble & NASA and the LEGUS Team; Acknowledgment: R. Gendler

  • C40 (NGC 3626) – A lenticular galaxy in Leo with a bright central bulge, offering a glimpse of a transitional galaxy between spirals and ellipticals.

    C40 - NASA, ESA, and P. Erwin (Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)
    C40 – NASA, ESA, and P. Erwin (Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

  • C53 (NGC 3115) – The Spindle Galaxy, a bright edge-on lenticular galaxy in Sextans with a striking, needle-like shape.

    C53 - NASA, ESA, and J. Erwin (University of Alabama); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)
    C53 – NASA, ESA, and J. Erwin (University of Alabama); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

  • C59 (NGC 3242) – The Ghost of Jupiter – A vibrant planetary nebula in Hydra, named for its eerie resemblance to the gas giant Jupiter when viewed through a telescope.

    C59 - NASA, ESA, Bruce Balick and Jason Alexander (University of Washington), Arsen Hajian (U.S. Naval Observatory), Yervant Terzian (Cornell University), Mario Perinotto (University of Florence), Patrizio Patriarchi (Arcetri Observatory), and Reginald Dufour (Rice University); Processing by Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)
    C59 – NASA, ESA, Bruce Balick and Jason Alexander (University of Washington), Arsen Hajian (U.S. Naval Observatory), Yervant Terzian (Cornell University), Mario Perinotto (University of Florence), Patrizio Patriarchi (Arcetri Observatory), and Reginald Dufour (Rice University); Processing by Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

Tips for Success

For the best experience, use a telescope with at least six inches of aperture and find a dark sky far from city lights. Explore the objects from the Messier and Caldwell catalogs listed above. Once observed, you can share your sketches or photos as part of the challenge. Though your view won’t match Hubble’s space-based clarity, it’s still thrilling to see these distant wonders for yourself.

More Information

For more information about the Hubble Space Telescope 35th Anniversary Observing Challenge, check out the webpages at the Astronomical League and NASA. You can also reach out to the NASA Observing Challenges and Special Awards Coordinator or the DAS Astronomical League Coordinator if you have further questions.

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