Here we present a translation of the original Lacaille Catalog, as it was reprinted in an appendix to Charles Messier's Catalog in 1781 in the Connaissance des Temps for 1784.

In this reprint, Messier represents the objects by their position (Right Ascension and Declination) rather than their numbers in Lacaille's catalog.

00:22:54, -73:26:50 (Lac I.1, NGC 104, 47 Tucanae)

It resembles the nucleus of a small comet

05:40:01, -69:17:20 (Lac I.2, NGC 2070, 30 Doradus, the Tarantula Nebula)

It resembles the preceding, but it is fainter

07:42:08, -38:00:00 (Lac I.3, NGC 2477)

Great nebula 15 x 20' in diameter

12:43:36, -69:28:00 (Lac I.4, NGC 4833)

It resembles a small comet, faint

13:12:09, -46:10:45 (Lac I.5, NGC 5139, Omega Centauri)

Nebula in Centaurus; with simple view, it looks like a star of 3rd magnitude viewed through light mist, and through the telescope like a big comet badly bounded

13:23:16, -28:35:30 (Lac I.6, M83)

Small nebula, shapeless, observed by M. Messier on February 17, 1781. See No. 83.

13:29:34, -61:40:10 (Lac I.7, NGC 5281)

faint confused spot

16:08:30, -40:03:10 (Lac I.8, NGC 6124)

It resembles a big comet without tail

16:08:33, -25:54:55 (Lac I.9, M4)

It resembles a small nucleus of a faint comet, observed by M. Messier. See No. 4.

16:38:36, -39:02:00 (Lac I.10, NGC 6242)

Faint oval and elongated patch.

18:13:41, -33:37:05 (Lac I.11, M69)

It resembles a small nucleus of a comet, observed by M. Messier on August 31, 1780. See M69.

18:21:19, -24:05:00 (Lac I.12, M22)

It resembles the preceding. M. Messier has observed it. See M22.

18:58:10, -71:55:45 (Lac I.13, NGC 6777; 2 stars 8..9 mag nearby; GC 4484)

It resembles the preceding.

19:24:20, -31:29:00 (Lac I.14, M55)

It resembles an obscure nucleus of a big comet. M. Messier has observed it. See M55.

03:54:57, -45:09:40 (Lac II.1, non-existent)

Tight heap of about 12 faint stars of 8th magnitude

07:17:00, -33:40:00 (Lac II.2, non-existent)

Heap of 8 stars of 6th to 7th magnitude, forming for simple view [naked eye] a nebula in the sky.

07:54:45, -60:09:40 (Lac II.3, NGC 2516)

Group of 10 to 12 stars

08:02:00, -36:30:00 (Lac II.4, NGC 2546)

08:31:46, -52:14:05 (Lac II.5, IC 2391, o Velorum)

08:37:46, -41:22:25 (Lac II.6, non-existent)

10:11:45, -50:29:00 (Lac II.7, NGC 3228)

10:26:32, -56:56:05 (Lac II.8, NGC 3293)

10:34:15, -63:06:16 (Lac II.9, IC 2602, Theta Crucis)

10:56:08, -57:19:30 (Lac II.10, NGC 3532)

11:12:00, -56:58:30 (Lac II.11, non-existent)

12:39:13, -59:00:30 (Lac II.12, NGC 4755, Kappa Crucis)

16:36:55, -41:23:10 (Lac II.13, NGC 6231)

17:37:12, -34:39:55 (Lac II.14, M7)

04:56:56, -49:51:30 (Lac III.1, non-existent)

Small [faint] star surrounded by a nebulosity

08:03:30, -48:31:00 (Lac III.2, NGC 2547)

five small stars, under the figure of a T, surrounded by nebulosity

08:34:20, -47:13:10 (Lac III.3; perhaps an unidentified open cluster, or non-existent)

Star of 6th magnitude, connected to another more southern one by a nebulous trace.

09:20:22, -55:55:30 (Lac III.4, IC 2488)

Faint star surrounded by nebulosity.

10:34:30, -58:49:10 (Lac III.5, NGC 3372, Eta Carinae)

Two small stars surrounded by nebulosity.

10:34:45, -58:12:25 (Lac III.6, NGC 3372, Eta Carinae)

Large group of a great number of small stars, a bit tight, and filling out the space of a kind of a semi-circle of 15 to 20 minutes in diameter; with a light nebulosity widespread in space

11:24:49, -60:15:00 (Lac III.7, NGC 3766)

Three small neighbored stars, surrounded by nebulosity

14:17:43, -55:27:50 (Lac III.8, NGC 5662)

Two small stars in a nebulosity

15:03:16, -58:14:30 (Lac III.9, non-existent)

idem

15:42:56, -59:46:50 (Lac III.10, NGC 6025)

Three small stars in a right line, surrounded by nebulosity

17:20:38, -53:31:30 (Lac III.11, NGC 6397)

Small star envelopped in a nebulosity

17:24:00, -32:02:45 (Lac III.12, M6)

Peculiar cluster of small stars,disposed in three parallel bands, forming a [lozange] of 20 to 25 diameter and hitched with nebulosity. M. Messier observed this cluster. See M6 in his catalog.

17:48:41, -24:20:15 (Lac III.13, M8)

Three stars shut in a drag of a nebula parallel to the Equator. M. Messier observed it. See M8.

21:12:53, -57:57:15 (Lac III.14, non-existent)

Two small stars surrounded by nebulosity.

Translation was done by Hartmut Frommert; please report me any errors (my French is very limited..).

Last Modification: 7 Feb 1998, 18:10 MET