Rudolph Spitaler discovered IC 699 = Spitaler 40, along with IC 696 and 698, on 31 Mar 1892. His micrometric position is accurate.
400/500mm - 17.5" (2/28/87): faint, small, bright core, stellar nucleus, faint extensions SSW-NNE. Fourth brightest in the IC 698 group with IC 698 7.5' N.
Notes by Steve Gottlieb