John Herschel discovered NGC 1217 = h2508 on 23 Oct 1835 and logged "not vF; R; pslbM; 20". Has a *11m 2' N. JH's position (h2508) and description is accurate (the star is 1.6' N).

400/500mm - 18" (1/17/09): fairly faint, fairly small, round, 45" diameter, sharply concentrated with a small brighter core and much fainter halo. A 24" pair of mag 9/12 stars located 7' SE is lined up with the galaxy. A mag 13 star lies 1.5' N. A faint companion galaxy 0.9' N (MCG -07-07-004) was not seen, probably because of the low elevation.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb