Lewis Swift discovered NGC 1103 = Sw. III-21 on 26 Dec 1885 with the 16-inch refractor at Warner Observatory. His position is 8 sec of RA west of MCG -02-08-005 = PGC 10597 and the comment "11 mag * close f" clinches this identification. Herbert Howe, observing with the 20" refractor at the Chamberlin Observatory in Denver, discovered nearby IC 1853 to the south.

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/28/94): fairly faint, small, elongated 3:1 SW-NE. Unusual appearance with a mag 12 star just at the NE end of this small streak. Forms a pair with IC 1853 (noted as "extremely faint, very small") 2.0' SSW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb