I thought I would combine some James Dunlop descriptions with images from IIS people.
James Dunlop observed from his back yard in Parramatta, Sydney with a homemade 9" aperture f/12 speculum reflector in 1826.
He was a typical Aussie battler, a poor man with little education. I think he did a great job.
Here is the first Dunlop object.
He found the
galaxy Dunlop 482 = NGC 5128 = Cen A and wrote; "A very singular double nebula, about 2.5' long, and 1' broad, a little unequal: there is a pretty bright small star in the south extremity, of the southernmost of the two, resembling a bright nucleus: the northern and rather smaller nebula is faint in the middle, and has the appearance of a condensation of the nebulous matter near each extremity: These two nebula are completely distinct from each other, and no connection of the nebulous matters between them. There is a very minute star in the dark space between the preceding extremities of the nebula: they are extended in the parallel of the equator nearly."
This image is by Fred Vanderhaven aka Bassnut.
http://fredsastro.googlepages.com/NG...full;init:.jpg