Joseph Turner discovered IC 3290 on 16 Apr 1877 with the 48" Melbourne Telescope while observing and sketching NGC 4373 (p. 136 of his logbook). He noted "the south-preceding [IC 3290] shown above was not noticed by Herschel and is here considered as a new nebula. It is very faint as compared with 2928 NGC 4373] - elongated and brighter at north-following extremity." Cannot resolve any of them." In a final list of 6 "New Nebulae discovered by Mr Turner" (end of his logbook), an offset is given of 9 seconds preceding in RA and 60" south with the description "extremely faint, very small, a little elongated; a little brighter at the following end." Pietro Baracchi reobserved this galaxy with the GMT on 8 Feb 1886 and called it "pB; S; lE; glbM." Neither of these two observations were published

Lewis Swift rediscovered IC 3290 on 30 Jan 1898 and reported Sw. XI-137 as "pF; vS; R; close p [NGC] 4373. Note." His note mentions this object (and others) "appear at first glance like double stars 6" or 8" apart." His position is 1 minute of RA too far west, but the identification is certain. Herbert Howe measured an accurate position in 1900 (used in the IC 2). Swift is credited with the discovery in the IC.

400/500mm - 18" (3/28/09): faint, fairly small, round, 25" diameter. Located just 2' SW of NGC 4373, though John Herschel missed it. Member of the Centaurus Cluster (ACO 3526)

Notes by Steve Gottlieb