Captain William Henry Smyth
Mar 28, 1836    No. 6 The Crescent, Bedford, England (map)
150mm f/17.6 refractor by Tully 1827

A loose cluster outlying the Galaxy, over the Argo's stern, where a ray led from Arneb (a Leporis) between Mirzam and Sirius, and as far again beyond, will strike upon it; and a line from Castor passed half a degree to the west of Procyon, and extended 22 beyond, also picks it up. It comprises a rich field of scattered stars, with occasional glows of star-dust, so that the magnitudes may range from 9 to 16, and smaller still; and the stragglers run into the south-south-east quarter, where is the crowded group 47 ♅. VIII. [NGC 2428] It was discovered by ♅. on the last evening of the year 1785.

About a minute preceding this object, and 1½° to the north, is a small faint cluster, which is probably 87 ♅. VIII., [NGC 2425] described by Sir William as consisting of small stars, and not rich.

― A Cycle of Celestial Objects Vol II, The Bedford Catalogue, William Henry Smyth, 1844

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