ESO 381-009 appeared very faint, very small, roundish, 20" diameter. Only the core/nucleus was seen and not the halo/ring. A mag 13.7 is at the east edge [25" from center].

Lewis Swift discovered IC 3639 = Sw. XI-140 on 15 Feb 1898 and recorded "pF; pS; 2 or 3 vF st in contact." Herbert Howe reobserved this object in 1900 and reported "Instead of "2 or 3 vF st in contact," I noticed only one of mag 12.5 south and a little preceding." Howe's micrometric position is accurate.

600/800mm - 24" (5/22/17): moderately bright, fairly small, round, 0.6' diameter, small bright nucleus. A mag 13.5 star is off the southwest edge [37" from center]. IC 3639 forms a pair with ring galaxy ESO 381-009 1.8' NE. ESO 381-006, a thin edge-on 2.6' NW, was not seen. The trio forms KTS 45.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb