Stephane Javelle discovered IC 736 = J. 1-203, along with IC 737, on 23 Apr 1892 with the 30" refractor at the Nice Observatory. His micrometric position correspond with HCG 59B = CGCG 068-068 and HCG 59A = CGCG 068-070, respectively. Several catalogues (including RC3, MCG and CGCG) misidentify HCG 59A as IC 736 and HCG 59D = MCG +02-30-040 = CGCG 068-072 as IC 737. When I took a look at this group, this immediately seemed odd as the brightest pair of galaxies are clearly HCG 59A and HCG 59B and I missed HCG 59D. The correct identifications are

IC 736 = HCG 59B = MCG +02-30-037 = CGCG 068-068 = PGC 36853 IC 737 = HCG 59A = MCG +02-30-039 = CGCG 068-070 = PGC 36861

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/8/97): HCG 59B is the fainter of two visible in HCG 59 and located 1.9' WSW of IC 737 = HCG 59A. Very faint, small, round, 20" diameter. With averted vision, the halo is closer to 30" (similar to IC 736) but the surface brightness is slightly lower.

900/1200mm - 48" (4/19/15): at 488x; HCG 59B is moderately bright, fairly small, round, 24" diameter, contains a small bright nucleus. PGC 1415034 (not a member of HCG 59, but part of the group) lies 0.8' NW. Using 697x, this 17.5-18 magnitude companion appeared extremely faint and small, very low surface brightness. It was visible only ~1/3 of the time. Slightly brighter IC 737 = HCG 59A lies 1.9' ENE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb