Which smart telescope is best for IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula?

None of the smart telescopes we track frames it well in one frame; plan a mosaic or a crop.

When is the best time to photograph IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula?

It is highest around midnight in December and well placed from both hemispheres. From 52° north it climbs to about 31° at most.

Target guide · reflection nebula

IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula with a smart telescope

IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula is a reflection nebula about 180 arcminutes (3.00°) across. It is highest around midnight in December, well placed from both hemispheres, and faint and spread out; it really benefits from a dark site and a long total exposure. It is larger than every native frame we track, or too small to fill one, so plan a mosaic or a crop.

Key facts

Catalogue	IC 2118
Type	reflection nebula
Apparent size	180′ × 60′
Position (J2000)	RA 5.08 h, Dec -7.3°
Highest at midnight	December (±2 weeks)
Sky needed	Dark sky

In the best-matching frame

IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula (blue) inside the native frame of Seestar S30 (2.14° × 1.21°).

Imaging tips

A reflection nebula reflects starlight, so it has the same colours as the light pollution around it. A dark site matters more here than any filter. Witch Head Nebula is a target for your darkest nights.

Which smart telescope frames it best

Telescope	Field of view	Fit	Mosaic
ZWO Seestar S30 Pro	3.99° × 2.24°	larger than the frame	2 × 1 = 2 panels
DWARFLAB DWARF 3	2.93° × 1.65°	larger than the frame	2 × 1 = 2 panels
Vaonis Vespera Pro 2	1.6° × 1.6°	larger than the frame	3 × 1 = 3 panels
Vaonis Vespera II	2.5° × 1.4°	larger than the frame	2 × 1 = 2 panels
Vaonis Vespera 3	2.5° × 1.4°	larger than the frame	2 × 1 = 2 panels
ZWO Seestar S50 Pro	2.45° × 1.38°	larger than the frame	2 × 1 = 2 panels
ZWO Seestar S30	2.14° × 1.21°	larger than the frame	2 × 1 = 2 panels
DWARFLAB DWARF mini	2.13° × 1.2°	larger than the frame	2 × 1 = 2 panels
Celestron Origin Mark II	1.32° × 0.75°	larger than the frame	3 × 2 = 6 panels
ZWO Seestar S50	1.29° × 0.73°	larger than the frame	3 × 2 = 6 panels
Unistellar eQuinox 2	0.76° × 0.57°	larger than the frame	7 × 2 = 14 panels
Unistellar eVscope 2	0.76° × 0.57°	larger than the frame	7 × 2 = 14 panels
Unistellar Odyssey	0.75° × 0.56°	larger than the frame	7 × 2 = 14 panels
Unistellar Odyssey Pro	0.75° × 0.56°	larger than the frame	7 × 2 = 14 panels

Mosaic planner

Witch Head Nebula is larger than the frame of some smart telescopes. A mosaic covers it with several overlapping frames that are stitched together afterwards. Pick a telescope to see the layout.

Telescope

Seestar S30 · 2.14° × 1.21°: 2 × 1 = 2 panels Each panel needs its own exposure, so plan about 2× the imaging time of a single frame.

Calculated with 15% overlap between panels and a 10% margin around the object, with the frame lined up along the object's long axis. When the object is longer than the short side of the frame we always count at least two panels, because on an alt-az mount the frame turns during the night. Whether a telescope has a built-in mosaic mode depends on its app and firmware; you can also shoot the panels separately and stitch them yourself.

How high it gets from where you live

Highest altitude above a flat horizon. Below about 20° the image suffers from haze and light pollution; trees and roofs often block it completely.

Latitude	Highest altitude
Oslo, 60° N	23°
Amsterdam, 52° N	31°
Madrid, 40° N	43°
Miami, 26° N	57°
Equator	83°
Sydney, 34° S	63°

See if it clears your own horizon tonight

Nearby in the sky

Objects close to IC 2118 in the sky, so you can image them in the same session.

M42 Orion Nebula star-forming nebula, 7.8° away
M43 De Mairan's Nebula star-forming nebula, 7.9° away
NGC 1977 Running Man Nebula reflection nebula, 7.9° away
IC 434 Horsehead Nebula emission nebula, 10.2° away
NGC 2024 Flame Nebula emission nebula, 10.6° away
M78 reflection nebula, 12.7° away

Questions and answers

Can I photograph IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula from a city?: It is hard: it is faint and spread out; it really benefits from a dark site and a long total exposure.
Which smart telescope is best for IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula?: None of the smart telescopes we track frames it well in one frame; plan a mosaic or a crop.
When is the best time to photograph IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula?: It is highest around midnight in December and well placed from both hemispheres. From 52° north it climbs to about 31° at most.

Object data: Messier catalogue via d3-celestial (BSD-3); NGC and IC objects from OpenNGC (CC BY-SA 4.0). Altitudes and dates are calculated, not observed.