Discovered by Charles Messier on August 3, 1764.
[Note on the Chart, Mem. Acad. for 1760, p. 465, Plate 12, Planche II]
Nebula of 2 [arc] min diameter. discovered in 1764.
[Mem. Acad. for 1771, p. 446 (first Messier catalog)]
In the night of August 3 to 4, 1764, I have discovered a nebula below the
great tail of Capricornus, & very near the star of sixth magnitude, the
41st of that constellation, according to Flamsteed: one sees that nebula with
difficulty in an ordinary [non-achromatic] refractor of 3 feet [FL]; it is
round, & I have not seen any star: having examined it with a good
Gregorian telescope which magnifies 104 times, it could have a diameter of
2 minutes of arc. I have compared the center with the star Zeta Capricorni,
& I have determined its position in right ascension as 321d 46' 18",
& its declination as 24d 19' 4" south. This nebula is marked in the chart
of the famous Comet of Halley which I observed at its return in 1759 (*).
[PT 1818, p. 442. Reprinted in:
Scientific Papers, Vol. 2, p. 598]
The 30th of the Connoissance. [M 30 = NGC 7099]
"1794, 7 feet finder. It is but just visible."
"1794, 7 feet telescope. It seems to be resolvable, but is too faint to bear
a high power."
"1810, 10 feet telescope. With 71, it appears like a pretty large cometic
nebula, very gradually much brighter in the middle. 1783, with 250 it is
resolved into very small stars."
"1783, small 20 feet Newtonian, 12 inch diameter. Power 200; it consists of
very small stars; with two rows of stars, 4 or 5 in a line."
"1783, large 20 feet Newtonian. Power 120; by a drawing of the cluster, the
rows of stars probably do not belong to the cluster."
"1784, 1785, 1786, 20 feet telescope, power 157. A brilliant cluster."
"1810, large 10 feet telescope. With 171 and 220 the diametr is 3' 5"; it is
not round."
By the observation of the 10 feet telescope, the profundity of this cluster
is of the 344th order.
Last Modification: May 22, 2005