Pierce, a son of the famous mathematician Benjamin Peirce, was a staff member of Harvard College Observatory from 1869-75 (under the directorship of Joseph Winlock). Together with Austin, Langley, Searle and Winlock he observed nebulae with the 15" f/18 Merz-refractor installed in June 1847 (see picture). The results are published in Ann. Harv. Obs. 13, 62 (1882). Langley discovered 1 object: NGC 1170 (HN 38) on Dec. 31, 1869, while observing comet 1869 III in Aries. It turned out to be "not found". HN stands for "Harvard Nebula", given in Pickering, E. C., Detection of Nebulae by Photography, Ann. Harv. Obs. 18, 113-117 (1890).

Harvard Observatory with 15" Refractor