On the HST image of the trio, IC 4687 has a disrupted, chaotic appearance of gas and dust with a tidal plume to the north. It appears merged with IC 4686 on its south side.

Royal Frost discovered IC 4687 = F. 1153 on a plate taken 1 Aug 1904 at Harvard's Arequipa Station. He noted "bM, magn 14". The same description was noted for nearby IC 4686 and 4689.

600/800mm - 25" (10/15/17 - OzSky): IC 4687 is the largest and northernmost of an excellent, close interacting triplet (AM 1809-574 = KTS 57). At 397x it appeared fairly faint, fairly small, elongated 3:2 ~SW-NE, ~0.6'x0.4', well concentrated with a very small bright core. IC 4686 is at the south edge, just 27" between centers and IC 4689 is 1.4' S! Situated in a rich star field 14' NE of an excellent close double HJ 5029 = 8.3/8.6 at 1.8".

Notes by Steve Gottlieb