Hermann Kobold discovered IC 3959 = K. 2-13 on 12 May 1896 with the 18-inch refractor at Strasbourg and recorded "F, pS, R, lbM."

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/21/90): very faint, very small, round. A mag 12.5 star is 1.6' NNW. In a close trio with IC 3957 1.0' S and IC 3963 1.3' SE, also IC 3947 lies 3.5' W. Located in a rich section of AGC 1656.

900/1200mm - 48" (5/10/18): at 610x; moderately bright, fairly small, round, 25" diameter, very small bright core. Forms the NW vertex of a small isosceles triangle with IC 3957 1' S and IC 3963 1.3' SE.

QSO B1256+280, a 20th magnitude quasar at z = 2.66 (light-travel time of 11.2 Gyr) is situated just 30" NE. I only "suspected" or "sensed" it two or three times without a confident pop. But on one occasion I had a strong impression it formed a right angle with IC 3939 and nearby IC 3963. Jimi confirmed this configuration on the DSS while I was at the eyepiece! [The precise angle is 100°].

Notes by Steve Gottlieb