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Choose your target. Find your imaging window.

Explore 596 deep-sky targets and comet data for your location and date. Find what clears your horizon, when it peaks and how far it sits from the Moon.

Astro Imaging Planner
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Browser · Best explored on a larger screen

The planner with the Andromeda Galaxy selected and its altitude chart.
Browser screenshots · Zlín, Czechia · 12 September 2026

Turn a catalogue into a plan for your night.

Work with your horizon

Set a minimum altitude and the directions open to you. See visibility windows for targets that meet your session’s constraints.

Choose from the deep sky

Search 596 fixed targets across multiple catalogues. Narrow the list by object type, constellation, magnitude and visibility.

Check the whole window

Open a target’s altitude chart to see its path through the night alongside the Moon and your minimum altitude. Comet brightness distinguishes observations from estimates.

See when a target comes into its own.

An example session for the Andromeda Galaxy shows how target selection and an altitude chart work together.

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Astro Imaging Planner with the Andromeda Galaxy selected for a session in Zlín on 12 September 2026.
Target & session
Altitude chart of the Andromeda Galaxy with Moon altitude and the minimum-altitude threshold.
Altitude chart

Browser screenshots · Zlín, Czechia · 12 September 2026

Three steps to get started.

  1. Set your session

    Enter your location, observing date, minimum altitude and open directions.

  2. Build your shortlist

    Calculate, then filter the catalogue to the objects that interest you.

  3. Inspect the window

    Select a target to compare its altitude, peak time and Moon separation.

A few things to know.

Practical answers before you begin.

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How is this different from AstroPanel?

AstroPanel gives an overview of astronomical conditions, planets and meteor showers. Imaging Planner focuses on individual deep-sky objects and comets, with visibility windows and altitude charts for a selected session.

Does it control my telescope or camera?

No. It helps you select targets and observing times. It does not control equipment or automate an imaging sequence.

Are comet brightness values guaranteed?

No. The planner labels brightness estimates and uses recent observer reports when available. Comets can change; review the source and age of a value when making your plan.

What do I need to use it?

A modern browser, your location and an observing date. It is free, requires no account and currently has an English interface. Comet data needs an internet connection. A larger screen makes the detailed table easier to explore.

Find a target for your next clear night.

Open planner

Developed by Richard Kacerek for CEMeNt.