William Herschel discovered NGC 1090 = H II-465 = h266 on 9 Oct 1785 (sweep 463) and recorded "F, pL, R, bM."

300/350mm - 13.1" (9/3/83): faint, moderately large, diffuse, slightly elongated ~E-W.

400/500mm - 17.5" (11/14/87): moderately bright, moderately large, oval ~E-W, weak concentration. A mag 15 star is at the south edge 42" from center and a mag 11.5 star is 3.1' N. NGC 1087 lies 15' S and NGC 1094 is 14' ESE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb