Messier 89

Discovered by Charles Messier on March 18, 1781.

Messier: M89.

March 18, 1781. 89. 12h 24m 38s (186d 09' 36") +13d 46' 49"
"Nebula without star, in Virgo, a little of distance from & on the same parallel as the nebula reported above, No. 87. Its light was extremely faint & pale, & and it is not without difficulty that one can distinguish it."

William Herschel

[1811: PT Vol. 1811, p. 226-336; here p. 290-291]
12. Of the remarkable Situation of Nebulae.
The number of compound nebulae that have been noticed in the foregoing three articles [on multiple nebulae] being so considerable, it will follow, that it they owe their origin to the breaking up of some former extensive nebulosities of the same nature with those which have been shewn to exist at present, we might expect that the number of separate nebulae should far exceed the former, and that moreover these scattered nebulae should be found not only in great abundance, but also in proximity or continuity of each other, according to the different extents and situations of the former diffusions of such nebulous matter. Now this is exactly what by observation, we find to be the state of the heavens.
In the following seven assortments we have not less than 424 nebulae; [..]
(*) [4th assortment] Forty two not very small nebulae. [including M89]

[Unpublished Observations of Messier's Nebulae and Clusters. Scientific Papers, Vol. 2, p. 660]
1784 Apr. 17 (Sw. 199). B. pS. [bright, pretty small].

John Herschel (1833): h 1348.

h 1348 = M89.
Sweep 19 (March 10, 1826)
RA 12h 26m 59.8s::, NPD 76d 31' 25" (1830.0) [Right Ascension and North Polar Distance]
B; S; R; mbM; 30". (RA precarious by reason of fluctuating zero.)
Bright; small; round; much brighter toward the middle; 30" [diameter]. (RA precarious by reason of fluctuating zero.)

Sweep 192 (May 4, 1829)
RA 12h 26m 64.2s, NPD 76d 30' 24" (1830.0)
B; R; gbM; 40...50". (This RA to be preferred to the rest, which are very uncertain.)
Bright; round; gradually brighter toward the middle; 40 to 50" [diameter]. (This RA to be preferred to the rest, which are very uncertain.)

Sweep 2 (April 10, 1825)
...., NPD 76d 29' 3":: (1830.0)
F; R; g b M; 25"; has a * n f; rough PD
Faint; round; gradually brighter toward the middle; 25" [diameter]; has a star north following [NE]; rough PD.

Sweep 3 (April 11, 1825)
...., NPD 76d 31' 32":: (1830.0)
R; m b M; rough PD
Round; much brighter toward the middle; rough PD.

Smyth

[from the description of M88]
[has it in a chart]
.. "in the immediate nebulous neighborhood" of 88 Messier ..

John Herschel, General Catalogue: GC 3097.

GC 3097 = h 1348 = M89.
RA 12h 28m 35.2s, NPD 76d 40' 32.7" (1860.0) [Right Ascension and North Polar Distance]
pB; pS; R; gmbM. 5 observations by W. & J. Herschel.
Pretty bright; pretty small; round; gradually much brighter toward the middle.
Remark: 3097, h 1348 = M89. Lord Rosse has h. 1343 [NGC 4550] and 1348 [M89], and in his account of them says, "two others, about 20's. of 1348 [M89];" one of these must have been h. 1343 [NGC 4550], and the other h. 1349 [NGC 4551].

Dreyer: NGC 4552.

NGC 4552 = GC 3097 = h 1348; M 89.
RA 12h 28m 36s, NPD 76d 40.3' (1860.0) [Right Ascension and North Polar Distance]
pB, pS, R, gmbM; = M89
Pretty bright, pretty small, round, gradually much brighter toward the middle.