Lewis Swift discovered NGC 1218 = Sw. IV-12 on 6 Sep 1886 with the 16" refractor at the Warner Observatory. His position is 1.4' too far west. Hermann Kobold measured an accurate position in 1896 at Strasbourg (published in 1907).

300/350mm - 13.1" (11/29/86): faint, small, round, bright core. Located 92' E of Alpha Ceti.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb