Harold Corwin

NGC 2086 = IC 2145. John Herschel is very clear in his description of this object:

B, pS, R, lbM; follows a star 10m with other S sts about it. Not observed in sweeping, but laid down in the drawing of Dec 4, 1837, whence its place is derived, [Plate] III, [panel] 4.

His position is also quite good, but that was not enough to prevent both Andris and me from taking John Herschel's 10th magnitude star as NGC 2086 (the star is actually closer to NGC 2085, so that is what I've called it in the position table). The object is clearly shown in Herschel's sketch, directly east of the star. (See NGC 2077 for a bit more about this sketch.)

Williamina Fleming rediscovered the object on an objective prism plate taken late in the 19th century. She, too, did not give it its NGC number in her paper in Harvard Circular No. 60, so it has also acquired an IC number.

Steve Gottlieb recovered the correct numbering during one of his Australian trips in 2007 or 2008.

― NGC Notes by Harold Corwin

Drawings, descriptions, and CCD photos are copyright Andrew Cooper unless otherwise noted, no usage without permission.

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