Messier 67

Discovered before 1779 by Johann Gottfried Koehler.
Independently rediscovered on April 6, 1780 by Charles Messier.

Messier: M67.

April 6, 1780. 67. 8h 36m 28s (129d 06' 57") +12d 36' 38"
"Cluster of small stars with nebulosity, below the southern claw of Cancer. The position determined from the star Alpha [Cancri]."

Koehler: Koehler No. 19

"A rather conspicuous nebula in elongated figure, near Alpha of Cancer."

Caroline Herschel

March 26, 1783. Observed it.

William Herschel

[PT 1818 p. 446, SP2 p. 599]
The 67th of the Connoissance. [M 67 = NGC 2682]
"1783, 7 feet telescope. A cluster of stars."
"1809, 10 feet telescope. A cluster of vS. [very small] stars, there seems to be a F. [faint] milky nebulosity among them."
"1784, 20 feet telescope. A most beautiful cluster of stars; not less than 200 in view."
By estimation, the profundity of this cluster may be of the 144th order.

John Herschel (1833): h 531.

h 531 = M67.
Sweep 17 (March 3, 1826)
RA 8h 41m 29.4s, NPD 77d 32' 3" (1830.0) [Right Ascension and North Polar Distance]
Pretty rich cl of sc st 10 .. 15m.
Pretty rich cluster of scattered stars between 10th and 15th magnitude.

Sweep 19 (March 10, 1826)
RA 8h 41m 49.6s, NPD 77d 33' 47" (1830.0).
200 st, more or less; it fills field; st 11 ... 15m. It is preceded by a rich region of st 9 .. 10m.
200 stars, more or less; it fills field; stars from 11th to 15th magnitude. It is preceded by a rich region of stars of 9th and 10th magnitude.

Sweep 241 (March 20, 1830)
RA 8h 41m 68.4s, NPD 77d 34' 56" (1830.0).
Superb cl very rich and brilliant; fills field; stars 9 ... 15m; straggling edges and not very comp in M.
Superb cluster, very rich and brilliant; fills field; stars from 9th to 15th magnitude; straggling edges and not very compressed in the middle.

Sweep 22 (March 13, 1826)
RA 8h 41m 75.9s, NPD 77d 35' 2"" (1830.0).
100 or 200 st coarsely sc 11 .. 15m.
100 or 200 stars coarsely scattered, from 11th to 15th magnitude.

Sweep 242 (March 23, 1830)
NPD 77d 34' 13" (1830.0).
A cluster. No further descrip[tion].

Smyth: CCCXXXIX [339]. M67.

CCCXXXIX. 67 M. Cancri.
AR 8h 42m 26s, Dec N 12d 23'.6
Mean Epoch of Observation: 1836.19 [March 1836]
[with a drawing]
A rich but loose cluster, at the root of the Crab's northern claw; where a line from Rigel through Procyon, into the east-north-east, will find it about 5deg north of Epsilon Hydrae. It consists principally of a mass of stars of the 9th and 10th magnitude, gathered somewhat in the form of a Phrygian cap, followed by a crescent of stragglers. It was first recognized by Messier in 1780, and resolved by Sir W. Herschel in 1783 [actually, already by Messier]. The place here given was obtained by differentiation from Delta Cancri: and though differing so largely in AR from Messier, it is evidently his object. With a power of 157 on his large telescope, Sir William Herschel saw above 200 stars at once, in the field of view; and on gazing at it with my refractor, of far inferior light, but excellent definition, charged also with a power magnifying 157 times, as shown by a dynameter, the object appears as herewith presented.

John Herschel, General Catalogue: GC 1712.

GC 1712 = h 531 = M67.
RA 8h 43m 34.3s, NPD 77d 40m 36.0s (1860.0) [Right Ascension and North Polar Distance]
l [should be !]; Cl; vB; vL; eRi; lC; st 10...15. 8 observations by W & J. Herschel.
Remarkable; cluster; very bright; very large; extremely rich; little compressed; stars from the 10th to the 15th magnitude.
Remark: Discovered by Oriani.

Dreyer: NGC 2682.

NGC 2682 = GC 1712 = h 531. M 67, Oriani.
RA 8h 43m 34s, NPD 77d 40.6m (1860.0) [Right Ascension and North Polar Distance]
! Cl, vB, vL, eRi, lC, st 10...15; = M67
Remarkable cluster, very bright, very large, extremely rich, little compressed, stars from the 10th to the 15th magnitude.

Curtis

[Descriptions of 762 Nebulae ans Clusters photographed with the Crossley Reflector. Publ. Lick Obs., No. 13, Part I, p. 9-42]
NGC 2682, RA= 8:45.8, Dec=+12:11. Bright, very sparse cluster about 16' in diameter. 5 s.n.