TOP 10 Best Astrophotos Of the Month — May 2024 Edition

3rd Jun 2024

May 2024 seemed rich in astronomical events: we admired the northern lights at least twice, and the magical full Flower moon became the object of the best astrophotos around the world.

What else could you observe in the sky this May? We searched on social media and found amazing views from amateur and professional astrophotographers. Keep scrolling down for a May recap of the best astrophotos according to the version of Orbital Today.

Flower Full Moon By John Mark Dionida Rosete

The Flower Moon of 2024, as seen from Puerto Princesa, Palawan, on 05-23-2024, was Taken on an iPhone 15 Pro max with an Apexel 36x Telephoto Lens. It was enhanced in Lightroom.

The Eagle Nebula By Rizwan Ahmad

“The M16 nebula, also known as the Eagle Nebula, is famous for its striking pillar-like structures, often called the “Pillars of Creation.” These pillars are regions of intense star formation sculpted by the radiation and winds from nearby massive stars. The nebula is located about 7,000 light-years away.

I had an hour of data from last year, add 3 more hours on Saturday.

This photo was taken with a Stellalyra 8-inch Newtonian, an Asi533mc pro camera, an AM5 mount, and an Optalong L-ultimate filter. It was processed in Siril and Photoshop,” the author has shared on Facebook.

“Amazing Cosmos” – The Milky Way By Mariusz Fronia

“My last trip to Spain – start of May this year.

Here is the moment when MW was almost upright, but also practically as high as she could be that night, minutes before the blue hour began. The last MW frames of the night.

And a selfie standing on a cliff,” the photographer has written on his Facebook.

C 14 Hyperstar By John Pecorino

“SHO Pallet with One Shot Color Camera. The Wall, NGC 7000. 72 X 70 Seconds. Starlight Xpress 694 C.”

Comet C/2021 S3 PanSTARRS By Jaroslaw Oszywa

“On May 4, the comet passed through the constellation Cygnus, against the background of hydrogen nebulae. Among other things, near the characteristic Propeller nebula (Simeis 57, DWB-111).”

Northern Lights Over Brechin By @One Man & His Nikon

This is an aurora image from our Northern Lights photos collection — check it for more views like this.

“What an incredible showing. Looking southeast over Brechin golf clubhouse,” One Man & His Nikon has shared on his Facebook.

Messier 82 Galaxy By Steven Miller

“Trying to spend more time on familiar targets. This galaxy is honestly overshadowed by its companion galaxy, M81 Bodes, so it was cool to devote a 1000mm focal length to it. 28 hrs of total integration time in B7 skies. 16 hrs of that is just hydrogen,” the author has written.

Messier 3 Galaxy By Stephen Tate

“Here is M3 with great colour contrast. This is an LRGB composite; details are below. 49x30s L R G B. Images. RedCat71 and 2600mm. Refocus set to occur with 5% variance in FWHH. Processed in PI,” the photographer has shared.

“Night Alphabet” – Milky Way By @BN Astro Branko Nađ

“The core of the Milky Way galaxy captured at the Glagolitic Monument on the island of Krk. This sculpture, which represents “A-AZ”, the first letter of the Glagolitic alphabet, is located on the road from Punat to Baška and represents the beginning of the so-called Glagolitic path. As many as 34 stone sculptures are lined up in important places in the Bašćan Valley. An interactive guide or a site map with the locations of individual letters can be downloaded from the tourist information centre or one of the travel agencies.

This location is my favourite on the entire island of Krk, and every year, I spend several night photo sessions there. “Vilica” / “Fork”—as we fondly call it—is located on a hill and is one of the darkest places on the island, so it’s a pleasure to shoot here and absorb the light of the stars.

Although I know the location itself (as well as the movement of the night sky above the Monument at all times of the year) by heart, I also attach (in the COMMENTS) a screenshot of the planning of this photo with the infallible Photopills application.

Also, the author shared on his Facebook a timelapse of the Perseides meteor shower in 2021 recorded at this monument.

NGC 4565 Spiral Galaxy By Russell Cockman

“NGC 4565 is a classic edge-on spiral galaxy in the direction of Coma Berenices which has a strong dust lane running along its length. Attaining a maximum altitude above the northern horizon of only 28 degrees is never favourable for imaging from ASV’s dark sky site in central Victoria, Australia.

Just 38.5 million ly away, it is a foreground object in a galaxy-rich region of the night sky where hundreds of distant background galaxies can be discerned together with a few other galaxies in the middle distance.

Takahashi TOA-130+1.5X extender/EM-200 Temma2/SBIG STL11000M camera combo; LRGB = 400 minutes; the wide image has a field of view of around 1.4×0.9 deg, and the close-up is around 0.5×0.3 deg.”

Thank you to all the photographers who shared their incredible works! Wish you inspiration for new images in June!

Stay tuned for fresh collections of the best astrophotos of the week and a monthly recap in the end of June.