Discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1746.
Independently rediscovered by Abbe Lacaille in on April 13, 1752.
[Mem. Acad. for 1771, p. 437 (first Messier catalog)]
On May 8, 1764, I have discovered a nabula near Antares, & on its
parallel, it is a light which has little extension, which is faint, &
which is difficult to be seen: when employing a good telescope for viewing
it, one can perceive very small stars. Its right ascension has been
determined at 242d 16' 56", & its declination as 25d 55' 40" south.
[p. 454]
1764.May.8. RA: 242.16.56, Dec: 25.55.40.A, Diam: 0. 2 1/2.
Cluster of very small stars, near Antares and below its parallel.
[PT 1818, p. 429-470, here p. 436-437, reprinted in
Scientific Papers, Vol. 2, p. 595]
The 4th of the Connoissance.
"1783, 10 feet telescope. All resolved into stars. I can count a great number
of them, while others escape the eye by their minuteness."
"1783, small 20 feet telescope. All resolved into stars."
"1784, 20 feet telescope. The cluster contains a ridge of stars in the middle,
running from south preceding [SW] to north following [NE]."
The 10 feet telescope having a power to show stars exceeding that of the eye
28.67 times, gives the profundity of this cluster of the 344th order.
Last Modification: January 5, 2005