140 years ago, some astronomers pioneered our hobby by capturing for the first time some of the most iconic DSOs on photographic plates.
No automatic tracking, No Guiding, No autofocuser. No App for Polar Alignment. No Computers, No AI-based processing routines.... Just a Telescope and photographic plate >>>> True pioneers!

I show some of these first images compared to my most recent images... 140 yrs of progress, technology, skills, and knowledge made our hobby so popular and accessible.

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IC434 - Williamina Fleming (1888): The horsehead nebula was first recorded on February 7, 1888 by Scottish astronomer Williamina Fleming on photographic plate B2312 taken with an 8-inch Bache Doublet at the Harvard College Observatory. This is a 90 minutes exposure.

M1 - Isaac Roberts (1892): M1 was first imaged by Isaac Roberts on February 2, 1892 using a twin telescope (20-inch reflector & 7-inch refractor) at his observatory & home near Liverpool. The total exposure time is 3 hours.

M31 - Isaac Roberts (1888): The photograph of M31 was taken using a twin telescope (20-inch reflector & 7-inch refractor). Taken with an exposure of 4 hours on 29th December 1888 at his observatory & home near Liverpool

M33 - George W. Ritchey (1902): The image of M33 was recorded on the nights of September 4 and 6, 1902 using the 24-inch reflector telescope. The  total exposure is 4 hours

M42 & M43 - Henry Draper (1882): On September 30, 1880, M42 was the first nebula to be successfully photographed by Henry Draper. Consequently, on March 14, 1882, Draper obtained a second, better, deeper, and more detailed photograph of the Orion Nebula, a 137-minutes exposure, which also clearly shows M43.

M45 - Isaac Roberts (1888): The photograph of M45 was taken using a twin telescope (20-inch reflector & 7-inch refractor). Taken with an exposure of 3 hours on December 8, 1888 at his observatory & home near Liverpool.

M51 - Isaac Roberts (1889): The photograph of M51 was taken using a twin telescope (20-inch reflector & 7-inch refractor). Taken with an exposure of 4 hours on April 29, 1889 at his observatory & home near Liverpool.

M101 - Isaac Roberts (1892): The first photograph of M101 ever taken was done on the night of May 30, 1892 using a 20-inch reflector telescope. The total exposure time is 3 hours 20 minutes.