E.E. Barnard discovered IC 2390 and communicated the discovery directly to Dreyer (not found in any of his published lists). His position matches CGCG 089-067 = PGC 24434. This galaxy was possibly discovered by Marth in 1864 and catalogued as NGC 2643, though Marth's position 11' S and 18 seconds of RA too far east. Although his declination is a poor match, nearby NGC 2637 which was discovered on the same night may have a similar declination error, so the identification NGC 2637 = IC 2390 is plausible.

IC 2390 was also reported as #155 in a catalog of new nebulae and clusters found on photographs taken by Keeler between 1898-1900 and published in the 1908 Publications of Lick Observatory, Vol VIII. Karl Reinmuth suggested the equivalence between NGC 2643 and IC 2390 in his 1926 photographic survey Die Herschel-Nebel.

400/500mm - 17.5" (2/8/97): very faint, very small, round, 15" diameter. Located 1.2' NW of a mag 11.5 star on the eastern side of M44. Several brighter stars in the 22' field at 220x.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb