DeLisle Stewart discovered IC 2051 = DS 268 from a plate taken in Dec 1900 at Harvard's Arequipa Station. He noted "!!vF, vS, stell N, ellipt ring neb."

600/800mm - 24" (4/4/08 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): at 200x appeared as a bright, large oval 5:3 WSW-ENE, 2.5'x1.4'. Contains a small, bright, slightly elongated core, ~20"x15". There was a strong impression of spiral structure at the ends of the halo [confirmed on the DSS]. A mag 10.9 star lies 2' W and 4' W is a striking trio of mag 11.5 to 13.5 stars.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb