Messier 62

Observations and Descriptions Discovered on June 7, 1771 by Charles Messier.

June 4, 1779. 62. 16h 47m 14s (251d 48' 24") -29d 45' 30"
"Very beautiful nebula, discovered in Scorpio, it resembles a little Comet, the center is brilliant & surrounded by a faint glow. Its position [was] determined, by comparing it with the star Tau of Scorpius. M. Messier had already seen this nebula on June 7, 1771, without having determined the position where it is close to. Seen again on March 22, 1781."

William Herschel

[PT 1814, p. 279, SP2 p. 538]
Connoiss. 62 [M 62 = NGC 6266] is "Extremely bright, round, very gradually brighter in the middle, easily resolvable, about 4' in diameter. With 240 and strong attention I see the stars of it. It is a miniature of the 3rd of the Connoiss. [M 3]."

[PT 1818 p. 446, SP2 p. 599]
The 62nd of the Connoissance. [M 62 = NGC 6266]
"1783, 10 feet telescope. With 250, a strong suspicion, amounting almost to a certainty, of its consisiting of stars."
"1785, 1786, 20 feet telescope. Extremely bright, round, very gradually brighter in the middle, anout 4 or 5 minutes in diameter; 240 with strong attention showed the stars of it. The cluster is a miniature of the 3d of the Connoissance."
By the 20 feet telescope, which at the time of these observations was a Newtonian construction, the profundity of this cluster is of the 734th order. It is in the preceding branch of the milky way.

Dunlop: Dun 627.

No. 627. A.R. 13:15: 3, S.P.D. 61: 2 (1827) [Right Ascension and South Polar Distance]
"160 Scorpii (Bode) is a pretty bright round nebula, considerably condensed, and rather suddenly bright at the centre, pretty well defined at the margin." 2 Observations.

Smyth: DXCVI [596]. M62

DXCVI. 62 M. Ophiuchi.
AR 16h 51m 04s, Dec S 29d 50'.6
Mean epoch of the Observation: 1837.46 [July 1835].
A fine large resolvable nebula, at the root of the creature's [Scorpion's] tail, and in the preceding part of the Galaxy [Milky Way band]. It is an aggregated mass of small stars running up to a blaze in the centre, which renders the differentiating comparatively easy and satisfactory; and in this instance it was referred to its neighbor, 26 Ophiuchi, which is 5deg distant to the north: and it lies only about 7deg from Antares, on the south-east. This was registered in 1779, and Messier described it as "a very pretty nebula, resembling a little comet, the centre bright, and surrounded by a faint light." Sir William Herschel, who first resolved it, pronounced it a miniature of Messier's No. 3, and adds, "By the 20-foot telescope, which at the time of these observations was of the Newtonian construction, the profundity of this cluster is of the 734th order." To my annoyance, it was started as a comet a few years ago, by a gentleman who ought to have known better.

John Herschel (1847): h 3661.

h 3661 = M. 62 = Dun 627.
Sweep 477 (August 1, 1834).
RA 16h 50m 21.9s, NPD 119d 50m 48s (1830.0) [Right Ascension and North Polar Distance]
Glob. Cl.; B; L; R; g m b M, but not to a nucleus; st 15 m; v fine; diam in RA = 13.0s [Semi-diam - See Sweep 794].
Globular Cluster; bright; large; round; gradually much brighter toward the middle, but not to a nucleus; stars of 15 m; very fine; diameter in RA = 13.0s [3.25'; Semi-diameter - See Sweep 794].

Sweep 723 (July 15, 1836).
RA 16h 50m 23.6s, NPD 119d 50m 42s (1830.0)
Glob. Cl.; superb; v B; R; p s v m b M; about 7' diam; all resolved into stars 15 m, very equal.
Globular Cluster; superb; very bright; round; pretty suddenly very much brighter toward the middle; about 7' diameter; all resolved into stars of 15 m, very equal.

Sweep 451 (May 8, 1834).
RA 16h 50m 24.2s, NPD 119d 50m 18s (1830.0)
Glob. Cl.; v B; L; R; p g v m b M; perfectly resolved with left eye, hardly with right. The most condensed part is a perfect blaze, but not quite in the centre. The southern part runs out faster. A beautiful object. (See figure 13, Pl. IV.) Diam = 13.5s in RA [No doubt semi-diameter.]
Globular Cluster; very bright; large; round; pretty gradually very much brighter toward the middle; perfectly resolved with left eye, hardly with right. The most condensed part is a perfect blaze, but not quite in the centre. The southern part runs out faster. A beautiful object. (See figure 13, Pl. IV.) Diameter = 13.5s in RA [3.75'; No doubt semi-diameter.]

Sweep 794 (June, 1837).
RA 16h 50m 25.9s, NPD 119d 51m 2s (1830.0)
Glob. Cl.; v B; L; R; g v m b M, to a blaze; diam in RA = 27.0s; st 14....16m; superb.
Globular Cluster; very bright; large; round; gradually very much brighter toward the middle, to a blaze; diameter in RA = 27.0s [6.75']; stars of 14 to 16m; superb.

Sweep 478 (August 3, 1834).
RA 16h 50m 26.6s, NPD 119d 51m 23s (1830.0)
B; L; R or l E, toward the n f side, where there is even some feeble appearance of another centre of condensation; p s b M, almost to a nipple; st 15 m.
Bright; large; round or little elongated, toward the north following [NE] side, where there is even some feeble appearance of another centre of condensation; pretty suddenly brighter toward the middle, almost to a nipple; stars of 15 m.

John Herschel, General Catalogue: GC 4261.

GC 4261 = h 3661 = M62 = Dun 627.
RA 16h 52m 18.7s, NPD 119d 53m 42.9s (1860.0) [Right Ascension and North Polar Distance]
!; Glob. Cl.; vB; L; gmbM; rrr; st 14...16 5 observations by W. & J. Herschel.
Remarkable; globular cluster; very bright; large; gradually much brighter toward the middle; well resolved; stars from 14th to 16th magnitude.
Remark: Figure in C.G.H. [Results of astronomical observations at the Cape of Good Hope, J.H. 1847], plate vi, fig. 13.

Dreyer: NGC 6266.

NGC 6266 = GC 4261 = h 3661; M 62, Dunlop 627.
RA 16h 52m 19s, NPD 119d 53.8m (1860.0) [Right Ascension and North Polar Distance]
! Glob. Cl., vB, L, gmbM, rrr, st 14...16; = M62
Remarkable, globular cluster, very bright, large, gradually much brighter toward the middle, well resolved, stars from 14th to 16th magnitude.
Remark: Figure in C.G.H. [J.H. 1847], plate VI, fig. 13.

Curtis

[Descriptions of 762 Nebulae and Clusters photographed with the Crossley Reflector. Publ. Lick Obs., No. 13, Part I, p. 9-42]
NGC 6266, RA=16:54.8, Dec=-29:58. Bright globular cluster, greatly condensed at center; this central part is 1.5' in diameter; main part of cluster 6'. 0 s.n.

Observing Reports for M62 (IAAC Netastrocatalog)

Hartmut Frommert
Christine Kronberg
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Last Modification: March 30, 2005