Francis Leavenworth discovered NGC 1163 = LM 1-80 on 31 Oct 1885 with the 26" refractor at Leander McCormick Observatory. Leavenworth's rough RA (nearest min of RA) is about 1tmin west of MCG -03-08-056 = PGC 11359, and although this PA = 75d is wrong (should be 135d) he describes this galaxy as "very elongated" and "spindle shaped", so the identification is certain. Herbert Howe measured an accurate position in 1899-00 using the 20" refractor at Chamberlin Observatory (repeated in the IC 2 notes).

400/500mm - 17.5" (11/18/95): very faint, fairly small, very elongated 3:1 NW-SE, 1.0'x0.3' (full length of extensions not seen), low even surface brightness. NGC 1163 is a member of the NGC 1209 Group (LGG 81), which includes NGCs 1145, 1188, 1189, 1190, 1199 and IC 276.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb