John Herschel discovered NGC 1145 = h2501 on 11 Dec 1835 and recorded "F, vmE, 90" long, 10" broad; has two stars 10th mag following." His position is accurate. MCG misidentifies MCG -03-08-028 as NGC 1145 and UGC misidentifies UGC 2384 as NGC 1145.

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/28/94): faint, moderately large, thin edge-on 7:1 WSW-ENE, 2.2'x0.3', only a weak concentration. Among a group of three mag 10-11 stars with a mag 10 star just following the ENE tip. NGC 1145 is a member of the NGC 1209 Group (LGG 81), which includes NGCs 1163, 1188, 1189, 1190, 1199 and IC 276.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb