E.E. Barnard discovered IC 1516 = Sw. X-59 on 14 Nov 1889 while searching for Brooks' Comet with the 12-inch refractor at Lick Observatory. He noted "S, R, gbM, slightly cometary" and measured offsets of -0m 20.55s (mean of 5 measures) and +0' 53" from his comparison star, which is apparently mag 9 HD 224265. IC 1516 is within a few arcseconds of these offsets. He didn't publish the discovery, though, or notify Dreyer.

Lewis Swift independently discovered this galaxy on 12 Nov 1891 and described it as "vF, pS, R, B * sf, nf of 2 [with IC 1515]." Swift was credited with the discovery in the IC.

600/800mm - 24" (1/1/16): fairly faint or moderately bright, round, 0.6' diameter, broad concentration to a slightly brighter core. Northern of a pair with IC 1515 4.4' SSW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb