E.E. Barnard discovered IC 1534, along with IC 1535 and 1536, on 6 Jul 1888 while sweeping with the 12-inch refractor at Lick Observatory. His notebook sketch (including NGC 48, 49 and 51) was reproduced in AN 4136. He added a note that this discovery (and others in AN 4136) was put in an envelope and addressed to A.N. nine years ago, but for some unknown reason were never put in the mails.

Based on a 60-inch Mt. Wilson photograph, described by Pease (1920) as 20"x10", p.a. 65°, almost stellar nucleus.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/31/86): faint, very small, elongated WSW-ENE, even surface brightness. A mag 11 star is off the NE edge 39" from the center. First of three IC galaxies in the NGC 51 group of six galaxies with IC 1535 2.0' ENE and IC 1536 5.6' E.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb