Discovered by Charles Messier on July 27, 1764.
[Mem. Acad. for 1771, p. 446 (first Messier catalog)]
In the night of the 26th to the 27th of the same month [July 1764], I have
discovered a nebula in the upper part of the bow of Sagittarius, at about
1 degree from the star Lambda of that constellation, & little distant
from the beautiful nebula which is between the head & the bow
[M22]: that new one may be the third of the older one,
& doesn't contain any star, as far as I have been able to judge when
examining it with a good Gregorian telescope which magnifies 104 times: it is
round, its diameter is about 2 minutes of arc; one sees it with difficulty
with an ordinary refractor of 3 feet & a half of length. I have compared
the middle [of it] with the star Lambda Sagittarii, & I have concluded
its right ascension of 272d 29' 30", & its declination of 37d 11' 57"
south.
[p. 457]
1764.Jul.27. RA: 272.29.30, Dec: 24.57.11.A, Diam: 0. 2.
Nebula without star, situated about one degree from the star Lambda
Sagittarii, & little distant from the beautiful nebula which is between
the head & the bow.
Last Modification: May 22, 2005