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Disc-# Rec-# Object Year Discoverer/NotesFollowing the last discovery of Méchain, William Herschel started his extended scan of the skies for nebulae, scoring his first discovery on September 7, 1782, less than half a year after the discovery of M107. Herschel, assisted by his sister Caroline who was also an avid observer, discovered 1000 objects within the next 2.5 years, a second thousand to December 1788, and a final 500 until 1802.
0 0 Milky Way pre-hist (doesn't count here) 0 0 UMa cluster pre-hist (doesn't count here) 1 1 M45 Pleiades pre-hist (mentioned by Homer c. 750 B.C., Hesiod c. 720-700 BC) 2 2 Hyades pre-hist (mentioned by Homer c. 750 B.C., Hesiod c. 720-700 BC; cataloged by Hodierna I.2, 1654) 5 3 M44 Praesepe 300-250 BC Aratus/Theophrastus; Hipparchos 130 BC. Recognized as cluster by Galileo 1609. 6 4 NGC 884 (Chi Per) 130 BC Hipparchus 7 5 NGC 869 (h Per) 130 BC Hipparchus 8 6 M7 138 AD Ptolemy, Lac II.14 1752 Jun 15 9 7 Coma st.cl Mel 111 138 AD Ptolemy, Melotte 1915. Cluster: Trumpler 1938. 3 8 LMC pre-hist (Southern Hemisphere; Magellan 1519) 4 9 SMC pre-hist (Southern Hemisphere; Magellan 1519) 10 10 M31 < 905 AD Al Sufi; S. Marius 1612 telescopic 13 11 M42 1610 Peiresc; Cysatus 1611; Hodierna <1654; Huygens 1656 28 12 M22 1665 Aug 26 Ihle (Hevelius may have seen it before) 29 13 Omega Centauri 1677 Halley, Lac. I.5 1752 Feb 17 [14-27] 14 NGC 6530 (in M8) <1654 Hodierna II.6, Flamsteed 1680 (No. 2446) 30 15 M11 1681 Kirch; resolved by Derham 1733 31 16 NGC 2244 (12 Mon) 1690 Flamsteed [14-27] 17 M41 <1654 Hodierna IV.2, Flamsteed 1702 Feb 16; perhaps seen by Aristotle 325 BC. 32 18 M5 1702 May 5 Kirch, Messier 1764 May 23 33 19 M13 1714 Halley 34 20 M43 1731 de Mairan; Bode (with M42=# 10) late 1775 44 21 M15 1746 Sep 7 Maraldi; Messier 1764 Jun 3, Bode (#71) 1774 Sep 23 45 22 M2 1746 Sep 11 Maraldi; Messier 1760 Sep 11, Bode (#70) 1775 Sep 22 [14-27] 23 M36 <1654 Hodierna II.7, Le Gentil 1749 [14-27] 24 M38 <1654 Hodierna II.7, Le Gentil 1749 46 25 M32 1749 Oct 29 Le Gentil; Messier 1757 and 1764 Aug 3 47 26 M8 1749 Le Gentil (cluster NGC 6530 prior by Hodierna < 1654 and Flamsteed 1680) [49-75][27-53] 47 Tuc 1751 Sep 14 Lacaille I.1 [49-75][27-53] NGC 2070 1751 Dec 5 Lacaille I.2 [49-75][27-53] NGC 2516 1752 Jan 4 Lacaille II.3 [49-75][27-53] NGC 3293 1752 Jan 25 Lacaille II.8 [49-75][27-53] NGC 3532 1752 Jan 25 Lacaille II.10 [49-75][27-53] IC 2488 1752 Jan 25 Lacaille III.4 [49-75][27-53] Eta Carinae Nebula 1752 Jan 25 Lacaille III.6 11 [27-53] o Vel (IC 2391) 964 AD Al Sufi; Lac II.5 1752 Feb 11 [49-75][27-53] NGC 3228 1752 Feb 11 Lacaille II.7 [49-75][27-53] NGC 2547 1752 Feb 15 Lacaille III.2 [49-75][27-53] M83 1752 Feb 23 Lacaille I.6, Messier 1781 Mar 18 [49-75][27-53] NGC 5281 1752 Mar 3 Lacaille I.7 [49-75][27-53] IC 2602 1752 Mar 3 Lacaille II.9 [49-75][27-53] Kappa Cru, NGC 4755 1752 Mar 5 Lacaille II.12 [49-75][27-53] NGC 3766 1752 Mar 5 Lacaille III.7 [49-75][27-53] NGC 6025 1752 Mar 5 Lacaille III.10 [49-75][27-53] NGC 4833 1752 Mar 17 Lacaille I.4 [49-75][27-53] NGC 2477 1752 Mar 19 Lacaille I.3 [49-75][27-53] NGC 6242 1752 Mar 19 Lacaille I.10 42 [27-53] M4 1745-46 de Chéseaux No. 19; Lac I.9 1752 Apr 13 [49-75][27-53] NGC 5662 1752 May 17 Lacaille III.8 [49-75][27-53] M55 1752 Jun 16 Lacaille I.14, Messier 1778 Jul 24 [49-75][27-53] NGC 6397 1752 Jul 18 Lacaille III.11 [14-27][27-53] M6 <1654 Hodierna II.4, de Chéseaux No. 1, 1745-46, Lacaille III.12, 1752 Jun 16 [49-75][27-53] NGC 6124 1751-52 Lacaille I.8 [14-27][27-53] NGC 6231 <1654 Hodierna I.7, Lac. II.13 1751-52 [49-75][27-53] NGC 2546 1751-52 Lacaille II.4 35 54 M1 1731 Bevis; Messier 1758 Aug 21 76 55 M3 1764 May 3 Messier 77 56 M9 1764 May 28 Messier 78 57 M10 1764 May 29 Messier, Bode (# 33) 1774 Aug 14 79 58 M12 1764 May 30 Messier, Bode (# 32) 1774 Aug 14 80 59 M14 1764 Jun 1 Messier 38 60 M16 (cluster) 1745-46 de Chéseaux No. 4; nebula: Messier 1764 Jun 3 43 61 M17 1745-46 de Chéseaux No. 20; Messier 1764 Jun 3 81 62 M18 1764 Jun 3 Messier 82 63 M19 1764 Jun 5 Messier 83 64 M20 1764 Jun 5 Messier 84 65 M21 1764 Jun 5 Messier 85 66 M23 1764 Jun 20 Messier [86] [67] M24 1764 Jun 20 Messier (may be not counted, because starcloud) 39 68 M25 1745-46 de Chéseaux No. 5; Messier 1764 Jun 20 87 69 M26 1764 Jun 20 Messier 88 70 M27 1764 Jul 12 Messier 89 71 M28 1764 Jul 27 Messier 90 72 M29 1764 Jul 29 Messier, Bode (#69) 1774 Dec 5 91 73 M30 1764 Aug 3 Messier [14-27] 74 M33 <1654 Hodierna IV.4 (?), Messier 1764 Aug 25, Bode (#5) 1775 Aug 18 [14-27] 75 M34 <1654 Hodierna IV.12 (?), Messier 1764 Aug 25, Bode (#7) 1774 Sep 2 40 76 M35 1745-46 de Chéseaux No. 12; in Bevis' Atlas 1750; Messier 1764 Aug 30 [14-27] 77 M37 <1654 Hodierna II.7, Messier 1764 Sep 2, Bode (#13) 1774 Nov 2 92 78 M39 1764 Oct 24 Messier, Bode (#75) 1774 Oct 27; Burnham: Le Gentil 1750 ? Aristotle 325 BC ? [93] [79] M40 1764 Oct 24 Messier (Double star, thus may not be counted) 94 80 M46 1771 Feb 19 Messier [14-27] [81] M47 <1654 Hodierna IV.1, Messier 1771 Feb 19 (but missed) W. Herschel H VIII.38 1785 Feb 4 95 [82] M48 1771 Feb 19 Messier (but missed); Bode <1782; Caroline Herschel (#5) H VI.22 1783 Mar 8 96 83 M49 1771 Feb 19 Messier 97 84 M62 1771 Jun 7 Messier (measured 1779 Jun 4) 98 85 M50 1772 Apr 5 Messier, possibly seen by G.D. Cassini 1711, Bode (#16) 1774 Dec 2 99 [86] M110 1773 Aug 10 Messier (not measured; added 1966 Glyn Jones), Caroline Herschel (#9) H V.18 1783 Aug 27 100 87 M51 1773 Oct 13 Messier (NGC 5194 only; 5195 seen by Méchain 1781), Bode (#25) 1774 Jan 5 101 88 M52 1774 Sep 7 Messier 102 89 M81 1774 Dec 31 Bode (#17), 1772-78 Koehler (# 8A), Méchain 1779 Aug 103 90 M82 1774 Dec 31 Bode (#18), 1772-78 Koehler (# 8B), Méchain 1779 Aug 104 91 M53 1775 Feb 3 Bode (#26), Messier 1777 Feb 26 105 92 M92 1777 Dec 27 Bode (#76), Messier 1781 Mar 18 106 93 M54 1778 Jul 24 Messier 41 94 M71 1745-46 de Chéseaux No. 13; Koehler 1772-8; Méchain 1780 Jun 28 107 95 M67 <1779 Koehler (#19), Messier 1780 Apr 6 108 96 M56 1779 Jan 19 Messier 109 97 M57 1779 Jan 31 Messier, Darquier 1779 Feb 110 98 M64 1779 Mar 23 Pigott, Bode (#77) 1779 Apr 4, Messier 1780 Mar 1 111 99 M59 1779 Apr 11 Koehler, Messier 1779 Apr 15 112 100 M60 1779 Apr 11 Koehler, Oriani 1779 Apr 12, Messier 1779 Apr 15 113 101 M58 1779 Apr 15 Messier 114 102 M61 1779 May 5 Oriani, Messier 1779 May 11 (saw it May 5!) 115 103 M63 1779 Jun 14 Méchain 116 104 M78 1780 "begin" Méchain 117 105 M65 1780 Mar 1 Messier 118 106 M66 1780 Mar 1 Messier 119 107 M68 1780 Apr 9 Messier 120 108 M75 1780 Aug 27 Méchain, Messier 1780 Oct 5 121 109 M72 1780 Aug 30 Méchain, Messier 1780 Oct 4 122 110 M69 1780 Aug 31 Messier; probably not Lac I.11 (1751-52) 123 111 M70 1780 Aug 31 Messier 124 112 M76 1780 Sep 5 Méchain, Messier 1780 Oct 21 125 113 M74 1780 Sep end Méchain, Messier 1780 Oct 18 [126] [114] M73 1780 Oct 4 Messier (may not be counted, 4 stars) 127 115 M79 1780 Oct 26 Méchain, Messier 1780 Dec 17 128 116 M77 1780 Oct 29 Méchain, Messier 1780 Dec 17 129 117 M80 1781 Jan 4 Messier, Méchain 1781 Jan 27 130 118 M97 1781 Feb 16 Méchain, Messier 1781 Mar 24 131 [119] M108 1781 Feb 19 Méchain, Messier 1781 Mar 24 (added 1953 O. Gingerich) W Herschel H V.46 1789 Apr 17 132 120 M85 1781 Mar 4 Méchain, Messier 1781 Mar 18 133 [121] M109B (NGC 3953) 1781 Mar 12 Méchain, Messier 1781 Mar 24 (added 1953 O. Gingerich) W Herschel H V.45 1789 Apr 12 134 122 M98 1781 Mar 15 Méchain, Messier 1781 Apr 13 135 123 M99 1781 Mar 15 Méchain, Messier 1781 Apr 13 136 124 M100 1781 Mar 15 Méchain, Messier 1781 Apr 13 137 125 M84 1781 Mar 18 Messier 138 126 M86 1781 Mar 18 Messier 139 127 M87 1781 Mar 18 Messier 140 128 M88 1781 Mar 18 Messier 141 129 M89 1781 Mar 18 Messier 142 130 M90 1781 Mar 18 Messier 143 [131] M91 1781 Mar 18 Messier, but missed, W Herschel H II.120 1784 Apr 8 144 132 M93 1781 Mar 20 Messier 145 133 M95 1781 Mar 20 Méchain, Messier 1781 Mar 24 146 134 M96 1781 Mar 20 Méchain, Messier 1781 Mar 24 147 135 M51B (NGC 5195) 1781 Mar 20 Méchain (Messier mentions with M51) 148 136 M94 1781 Mar 22 Méchain, Messier 1781 Mar 24 149 [137] M105 1781 Mar 24 Méchain (added 1947 H.S. Hogg), W Herschel H I.17 1784 Mar 11 W Herschel H I.17 1784 Mar 11 150 138 M101 1781 Mar 27 Méchain (Messier 1781) 151 [139] M102 (NGC 5866) 1781 Mar-Apr Méchain? (disclaimed), Messier? (position), W Herschel H I.215 1788 May 5 missed and still dubious: may be duplication of M101, or NGC 5866. 152 140 M103 1781 Mar-Apr Méchain (Messier 1781 added position) 153 [141] M109 (NGC 3992) 1781 Mar-May Messier W Herschel H IV.61 1789 Apr 12 154 [142] M104 1781 May 11 Méchain (added 1921 Flammarion) W Herschel H I.43 1784 May 9 155 [143] M106 1781 Jul Méchain (added 1947 H.S. Hogg) W Herschel H V.43 1788 Mar 9 156 [144] M107 1782 Apr Méchain (added 1947 H.S. Hogg) W Herschel H VI.40 1793 May 12 37 NGC 6633 1745-46 de Chéseaux No. 3; C. Herschel H VIII.72 1783 48 NGC 6712 ~1750 Le Gentil; W. Herschel H I.47 1784 Jun 16 ? NGC 2169 <1654 Hodierna IV.10 ??, W. Herschel H VIII.24 1784 Oct 15 [14-27] NGC 2362 <1654 Hodierna V.1, W. Herschel H VII.17 1785 Mar 6 [14-27] NGC 752 <1654 Hodierna IV.4 (?), W. Herschel VII.32 1786 Sep 21 [14-27] NGC 2451 <1654 Hodierna V.2 (?), J. Herschel h 3099 1835-8 ? NGC 2175 <1654 Hodierna IV.11 ??, Bruhns?, Auwers No. 21 (NGC) 36 IC 4665 1745-46 de Chéseaux No. 2; <1782 Bode; C. Herschel 1783 Jul 31; Bailey 1908 [14-27] Alpha Persei Cl. <1654 Hodierna I.4, Eddington 1910 12 Brocchi's Cl Cr 399 964 AD Al Sufi; Hodierna < 1654, Brocchi 1920s, Collinder 1931 [49-75] Trumpler 10? 1752 Feb 19 Lacaille II.6; Trumpler 1930 [49-75] Collinder 140? 1751-52 Lacaille II.2; Collinder 1931 [49-75] Collinder 228? 1752 Mar 5 Lacaille III.5; Collinder 1931 [49-75] vdB-Ha 47? 1752 Feb 17 Lacaille III.3; IC 2395 ? Bailey 1908; van den Bergh/Hagen 1975
This table is widely based on the documentation in Kenneth Glyn Jones' book, Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters.
Last Modification: July 30, 2017