Lewis Swift discovered IC 1286 = Sw. VII-96 on 11 Jun 1888 and recorded "eF; pS; R; nearly bet. 2 pB st[ars]." His position is just off the east edge of UGC 11191 and the identification is certain (the mentioned stars are north and south).

600/800mm - 24" (6/21/17): at 375x; fairly faint, moderately large, very elongated 4:1 E-W, ~50"x12", weak concentration. Resides within a group of brighter stars, included a mag 10.3 star 2.4' N.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb