William Herschel discovered NGC 13 = H III-866 = h2 on 26 Nov 1790 (sweep 981) and logged "vF, vS. 300 verified and showed 3 stars and the nebula placed in the form of a square; the nebula being the np corner." R.J. Mitchell, using Lord Rosse's 72" on 18 Sep 1857, recorded "2 neb. nearly in line p. and f; about 14' apart; the p one [NGC 13] is of irregular outline; F; bM. The f. one [NGC 13] is S; R; pB; bM." The pair was observed 5 times up to 1873. The NGC position is accurate.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/17/87): fairly faint, very small, round, small bright core. A mag 13 star is 30" S and a mag 12 star lies 1.2' SSW of center. First of three with NGC 20 12' SE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb