Williamina Fleming discovered IC 432 = HN 60 on a Harvard College Observatory photographic plate taken on 27 Jun 1888. She noted "well-marked nebulosity surrounding DM -1° 1005. Unlike most nebulous stars, the nebulosity does not fade away towards the edges. It looks rather like an irregular oval nebula on which a star was superimposed." Edward Pickering published the discovery in the 1890 Harvard Annals publication (1890AnHar..18..113P).

200/250mm - 8" (12/6/80): faint, diffuse, 4' diameter, envelops a mag 8 star.

300/350mm - 13.1" (1/11/86): very faint glow surrounding mag 7.5 SAO 132446, diffuse appearance. Located 27' N of Zeta Orionis.

600/800mm - 24" (1/1/19): at 200x; moderately bright, large, irregularly round, ~4' diameter, surrounding mag 7.2 HD 37776. A mag 12.6 star is ~40" W and a very faint star is at the east edge. IC 431 is 11' WNW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb