IC 1206 forms a close pair (similar redshifts) with CGCG 079-086 just 1.3' SSW of center. The companion was very faint, small, round, low surface brightness, 12"-15" diameter. A mag 16 star is close off its west edge [20" from center].

Lewis Swift discovered IC 1206 = Sw. VII-81 = Big. 208 on 3 Jun 1888 and reported "eF; S; R." His position is just off the northwest edge of UGC 10293, so the identification is certain although he missed the close companion. Bigourdan found it again on 28 Jun 1890 while searching for a comet discovered by d'Arrest. He noted it was probably equivalent to Sw. VII-81 in his Comtes Rendus publication. Dreyer credited both in the IC 1.

600/800mm - 24" (7/18/17): fairly faint, fairly small, slightly elongated N-S, 0.5'x0.4'. Contains a stellar nucleus surrounded by the core of the galaxy. An extremely low surface brightness outer halo was suspected. A mag 10.5 star is 4' NE. Located 12' SSE of mag 7.6 13 Herculi and 14' SW of mag 7.3 15 Herculi.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb