ESO 554-038, 25' ENE, appeared fairly faint, elongated 5:2 NW-SE, 45"x18", small bright nucleus. The extensions appears slightly "bend". Located 3' NE of a striking double (HJ 3799 = 9.2/9.4 at 3.8").

Lewis Swift discovered IC 2143 = Sw. XI-85 on 7 Oct 1897 and reported "eeF; pS; eE; 45°; triangle sf." His position is 2.6' due north of ESO 554-023. In his series of Monthly Notices observations (Nov. 1900), Howe comments, "The elongation is at 90°." and measured an accurate position. Also, the triangle of stars (sides 1.5', 1.7', 2') is northeast, not southeast as Swift stated.

600/800mm - 24" (2/8/18): at 200x; moderately bright, elongated 5:2 WNW-ESE, 1.0'x0.4', bulges slightly near center, nearly even surface brightness. At 375x there appeared to be a central bar down the major axis and the halo was irregular or clumpy with a suggestion of spiral structure. A group of 4 mag 12-13 stars lies northeast.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb