The identification of this galaxy with NGC 1128 is very uncertain.

Lewis Swift discovered NGC 1128 = Sw. V-48 on 8 Oct 1886 with the 16-inch refractor at Warner Observatory and recorded "eF; S; lE; 2 pF stars close preceding." There are no good candidates near Swift's position.

Harold Corwin suggests NGC 1128 is CGCG 415-041 = PGC 11189 +11188, the brightest galaxy (double) in Abell Galaxy Cluster 400. Swift's position is 5 minutes of RA to the west, though Corwin notes that several other objects found by Swift in October 1886 have similar 5 minute errors (NGC 885, 1677, 1689). Two mag 12-13 stars just west of this galaxy fit Swift's description.

Interestingly, William Herschel might have first seen this double system. On 30 Sep 1786 (sweep 607), he recorded "Some small stars with suspected nebulosity, probably a deception." Although it was never catalogued, his position is just 1' northwest of CGCG 415-041!

400/500mm - 17.5" (11/28/97): very faint, small, elongated 2:1 N-S, 40"x20", irregular surface brightness. On careful examination the glow resolved into a very close pair of extremely small galaxies oriented N-S with tangent halos [just 16" between centers!]. This double system is the brightest in AGC 400 with CGCG 415-040 3.5' SW.

600/800mm - 24" (11/23/19): at 375x; fairly faint, fairly small, elongated ~2:1 N-S. This merged double system was easily resolved with the two nuclei separated by 16" N-S. The northern nucleus was noticeably brighter and well defined, ~12" diameter. The southern nucleus had a lower surface brightness and the edge faded out more gradually into the common halo that enclosed both nuclei. A mag 13.6 star is 1' W and a mag 12.6 star is 1' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb