15x50mm binoculars (9/6/10): prominent roundish glow ~10-15' diameter located 40' S of 5th magnitude 4 Cas and on a line with Alpha (Schedir) and Beta (Caph) Cas. A few mag 8-9 stars are resolved.

Charles Messier discovered M52 = NGC 7654 = h2238 on 7 Sept 1774. WH made an early observation on 29 Aug 1783 with his 6-inch and noted, "All resolved into innumerable small [faint] stars without any suspicion of nebulosity." On 3 Nov 1787 (sweep 773), he reported "A very beautiful cl of very compressed stars about 12' dia., nearly R and most compressed in the middle." JH made the single observation, "A ruddy star 9m in the p part of a p rich irreg cl of stars 13m, all separate, 6' diam; a v little more comp in the s f part." Admiral Smyth described M52 as resembling "a bird with outspread wings" and added "the field is one of singular beauty under a moderate magnification."

300/350mm - 13.1" (9/29/84): 150-175 stars in a 15' diameter, a mag 8 star (SAO 20606) is on the WSW edge of the cluster. NGC 7635, the "Bubble Nebula", lies 35' SW.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/2/86): fills 21' field, fully resolved at 105x.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb