William Herschel discovered NGC 7142 = H VII-66 = h2134 on 18 Oct 1794 (sweep 1063) and recorded "a cl of considerable compressed vS stars, intermixed with some pretty large ones. iF, 8 or 9' diameter. Some of the large ones from an irregular kind of circle." On 16 Sept 1798 (sweep 1079) he logged "a cluster; considerably rich, chiefly small stars, about 12' diameter." JH made a single observation and recorded "the chief star in the sf part of a large, pretty rich, loose cluster of st 12...14m; diam 10'; has more than one star 10-11m in it." His position is on the double star HJ 1696 at the east side of the cluster.

200/250mm - 8" large, spread out. There is a string of stars on the east and SE edge.

300/350mm - 13.1" (7/20/85): fairly rich but somewhat scattered in parts, large. Includes three brighter mag 10 stars but otherwise fairly uniform and rich in mag 12.5-13.5 stars.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb