| Invention or discovery | Date | Inventor or discoverer | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 682 | December 30, 1785 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 887 | December 30, 1785 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 2428 | December 31, 1785 | William Herschel | star cluster |
| NGC 2430 | December 31, 1785 | William Herschel | star cluster |
| NGC 2610 | December 31, 1785 | William Herschel | planetary nebula |
| NGC 2848 | December 31, 1785 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 1552 | 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 1620 | 1786 | William Herschel | intermediate spiral galaxy |
| NGC 1635 | 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 2112 | 1786 | William Herschel | open cluster |
| NGC 2260 | 1786 | William Herschel | galaxy |
| NGC 4044 | 1786 | William Herschel | elliptical galaxy |
| NGC 4541 | 1786 | William Herschel | intermediate spiral galaxy |
| NGC 4642 | 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 4227 | January 2, 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 4229 | January 2, 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 4583 | January 2, 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 2240 | January 3, 1786 | William Herschel | star cluster |
| NGC 2765 | January 27, 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 3434 | January 27, 1786 | William Herschel | radio galaxy |
| NGC 3495 | January 27, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 3604 | January 27, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 1636 | January 30, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 1779 | January 30, 1786 | William Herschel | intermediate spiral galaxy |
| NGC 2225 | January 30, 1786 | William Herschel | open cluster |
| NGC 1618 | February 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 1653 | February 1786 | William Herschel | elliptical galaxy |
| NGC 1670 | February 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 1678 | February 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 1682 | February 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 1684 | February 1786 | William Herschel | elliptical galaxy |
| NGC 1729 | February 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 2721 | February 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 4480 | February 2, 1786 | William Herschel | intermediate spiral galaxy |
| NGC 4630 | February 2, 1786 | William Herschel | galaxy |
| NGC 1646-1 | February 10, 1786 | William Herschel | galaxy |
| NGC 4599 | February 22, 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 2182 | February 24, 1786 | William Herschel | reflection nebula |
| NGC 2513 | March 3, 1786 | William Herschel | elliptical galaxy |
| NGC 3637 | March 4, 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 3672 | March 4, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 3892 | March 4, 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 4682 | March 15, 1786 | William Herschel | intermediate spiral galaxy |
| NGC 2507 | March 18, 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 2413 | March 19, 1786 | William Herschel | open cluster |
| NGC 2935 | March 20, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 2948 | March 24, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 4658 | March 25, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 2980 | March 27, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 2719 | March 28, 1786 | William Herschel | low-surface-brightness galaxy |
| NGC 2778 | March 28, 1786 | William Herschel | elliptical galaxy |
| NGC 2955 | March 28, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 3381 | March 28, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 4273 | April 17, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 4277 | April 17, 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 4300 | April 17, 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 4688 | April 17, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 4600 | April 30, 1786 | William Herschel | lenticular galaxy |
| NGC 673 | September 4, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |
| NGC 1024 | September 18, 1786 | William Herschel | spiral galaxy |