Lewis Swift discovered IC 65 = Sw. X-4 on 25 Sep 1890 and recorded "eF; pL; vE; 2 B st. in field; one f[ollowing] the other s[outh]."

400/500mm - 17.5" (9/1/02): fairly faint, fairly large, edge-on 4:1 NNW-SSE, 2.5'x0.6'. Contains a slightly brighter, bulging core. The outer tips fades into the background, so it was difficult to estimate the full extent. A faint star is just off the following side of the core and a pair of mag 14 stars is off the southeast extension. Located in a rich star field 8.5' WSW of mag 8 HD 5982.

17.5" (11/26/94): fairly faint, moderately large, very elongated 7:2 NNW-SSE, 3.5'x1.0', weak concentration to a brighter middle but no nucleus. Several faint stars are near including a mag 14 star at the northwest tip and two mag 14 stars are situated on either side of the south-southeast end. A brighter mag 12 star is 3.5' NNW of center. Located 8.6' WSW of mag 7.8 SAO 36857.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb