IC 1105 is the brightest member of the galaxy group WBL 554, which contains 6 additional CGCG galaxies and resides at a distance of ~500 million l.y. Five of these galaxies form a chain oriented WNW-ESE and are situated ~12' N. WBL 551, a smaller group at a similar redshift, lies ~30' W.

Lewis Swift discovered IC 1105 = Sw. X-31, along with IC 1102, on 24 Jun 1891. He reported "eeF; S; lE; F * nr np; 3 distant st. in a curve sf." His position is 2' too far SE, but 3 stars to the SE match his description and the identification is secure. Swift missed the companion off the southwest side.

600/800mm - 24" (7/18/17): at 282x; fairly faint, fairly small, elongated 3:2 E-W, ~30"x20", brighter quasi-stellar nucleus. Forms a close pair with CGCG 049-048 0.5' SW [33" between centers]. The companion was faint, small, slightly elongated E-W, weak stellar nucleus, ~20"x15". LEDA 3125594, situated 1.6' WNW of IC 1105, occasionally popped as an extremely faint and small glow (V = 16.2).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb