Andrew Cooper
Mar 2, 2011    Hale Pohaku, HI (map)
46cm f/4.5 Newtonian, Deep Violet @ 175x
Seeing: 6 Transparency: 6 Moon: 0%

Bright, face-on spiral? very bright core with a large 5' halo, averted vision suggests spiral structure

Andrew Cooper
Jun 13, 1999    Pinal Peak, AZ (map)
20cm f/10 SCT

Very bright core, otherwise no structure visible, fairly large

Rev. T.W. Webb
May 19, 1885    Hardwick, Herefordshire, England (map)

Small bright nebula, like a comet; h., a nucleus; E. of Rosse, spiral. Lick spect., one bright band and two absorption lines.

― Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes, T. W. Webb, 1917

Charles Messier
Mar 24, 1781    

Nebula without star, above the Heart of Charles [α CVn], on the parallel of the star no. 8, of sixth magnitude of the Hunting Dogs, according to Flamsteed: In the center it is brilliant & the nebulosity a bit diffuse. It resembles the nebula which is below Lepus, No. 79 [M79]; but this on is more beautiful & brighter: M. Méchain has discovered this one on March 22, 1781.

― Connaissance des Temps, 1781