Lewis Swift discovered NGC 1017 = Sw. V-33 = LM 1-61 on 29 Sep 1886 with the 16" refractor at Warner Observatory and recorded "eeeF, vS, R, eee dif 3rd of 3 [with NGC 1010 and 1011]. His position was 1.4' NNE of MCG -02-07-045 = PGC 9955. Ormond Stone independently discovered the galaxy sometime before Oct 12th (when his paper was dated at the Leander McCormick Observatory), so the discovery order is unknown. But Frank Muller noted the equivalence of Sw. V-33 and LM 1-61 in a Sidereal Messenger article (Feb 1887) that listed nebulae from Swift's 5th catalogue which had been discovered previously. Both observers were credited in the NGC.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/8/94): extremely faint, small, round. Last and faintest of three with NGC 1011 2.7' W and NGC 1010 3.8' WSW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb