Andrew Cooper
Jun 27, 2020    Waikoloa Quarry, HI (map)
8x42mm Nikon Prostaff 3S Binoculars @ 8x
Seeing: 7 Transparency: 7 Moon: 0%

A very conspicuous object north of M24 and M17, a 15' patch of nebula and stars, bright, 15' in diameter, the entire region a delight in binoculars

Andrew Cooper
Jun 29, 2019    Kaʻohe, Mauna Kea, HI (map)
20cm f/6 Newtonian, Cave Astrola @ 35x
Seeing: 8 Transparency: 7 Moon: 0%

A bright cluster laced through with nebulosity, large, bright, fully resolved, an abrupt northern boundary with a darker region beyond, part of a beautiful region that is wonderful to sweep through

Andrew Cooper
Aug 12, 2017    Waikoloa, HI (map)
Hodgepodge w/TV-76mm f/6 APO @ 30x
Seeing: 6 Transparency: 6 Moon: 0%

At low power and small aperture the cluster is more visible than the nebulae, a coarse, bright cluster embedded in a fainter nebulae, 10' in diameter, rich field with excellent sweeping

Andrew Cooper
Apr 19, 2012    Hale Pohaku, HI (map)
46cm f/4.5 Newtonian, Deep Violet @ 175x
Seeing: 7 Transparency: 7 Moon: 0%

A bright, coarse star cluster laced with nebulosity, the brighter central region of which is about 20' in diameter, some structure, brighter knots and darker areas visible throughout the nebulae

Andrew Cooper
Apr 18, 2010    Hale Pohaku, HI (map)
46cm f/4.5 Newtonian, Deep Violet @ 175x
Seeing: 6 Transparency: 7 Moon: 0%

Large! a region of nebulosity that is brightest within a coarse open cluster of several dozen 8th to 12th magnitude stars, the main area is ½° with nebulosity fading gradually in all directions, some small dark regions north and south of the cluster, the entire region is more impressive at low power

Andrew Cooper
Jun 6, 1998    TIMPA, Avra Valley, AZ (map)
20cm f/10 SCT

Sparse open cluster with faint nebulosity surrounding it, fairly dispersed, difficult to distinguish the nebulosity, maybe if I had a 2" OIII

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

Grand cl.

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

William Herschel
Jul 30, 1783    19 New King Street, Bath (map)

Large stars with small ones among them; within a small compass I counted more than 50, and there must be at least 100 without taking in a number of straggling ones, everywhere dispersed in the neighborhood.

Charles Messier
Jun 3, 1764    

A cluster of small stars, enmeshed in a faint glow, near the tail of Serpens, at little distance to the parallel of Zeta of this constellation; with an inferior telescope this cluster appears like a nebula.

― Connaissance des Temps, 1781

Harold Corwin

IC 4703 is the nebulosity associated with M 16. Isaac Roberts picked it up on one of his plates, though it is not in any of the papers that Dreyer gives references to in IC2. M 16 (NGC 6611) itself is called only a cluster in NGC with no mention of nebulosity. But the nebula is bright and easy, so I'm a bit puzzled at its not being mentioned, and also by Roberts claiming it as a "new" nebula. I'd like to see his notes on the object.

In the meantime, the identity is clear, even if it may well be superfluous.

― IC Notes by Harold Corwin

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

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