Francis Leavenworth discovered NGC 1091 = LM 1-65 (along with NGC 1092, 1098, 1099 and 1100) on 17 Oct 1886 with the 26" refractor at Leander McCormick Observatory. His position is just 1' too far south. Herbert Howe measured an accurate position in 1897 using the 20" refractor at Chamberlin Observatory (repeated in the IC 2 notes).

400/500mm - 17.5" (11/26/94): very faint, very small, elongated 4:3 WSW-ENE, 0.7'x0.5', no concentration. A mag 11.5 star is 2.4' NNW of center. Forms a close pair with NGC 1092 1.8' ESE. Member of HCG 21 with NGC 1098 10' SW, NGC 1100 10' S and NGC 1099 11' S.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb