J.L.E. Dreyer discovered NGC 1195 while making an observation of the NGC 1196 field on 8 Jan 1877 with the 72". He logged an "eF, eS nebula (distinctly seen)" in position 305? (NW) of a mag 12 star directly north of NGC 1196. The position angle is good and clearly establishes NGC 1195 = PGC 11517.

Pietro Baracchi independently discovered NGC 1195 on 7 Dec 1885 with the Great Melbourne Telescope and sketched the field, along with NGC 1196, NGC 1200 and IC 285 (new discovery).

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/20/90): very faint, very small, elongated 3:2 N-S, even surface brightness. A mag 13 star is 45" SE of center. First of four in the NGC 1200 quartet with NGC 1196 3' S and NGC 1200 7' NE.

600/800mm - 24" (12/6/18): at 375x; nearly fairly faint, small, round, 20" diameter, very small brighter nucleus. A mag 13.5 star is 45" SE. In a quartet with NGC 1196 2.3' SSE, along with NGC 1299 amd IC 285 to the NE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb