Francis Leavenworth discovered NGC 1231 = LM 1-97 on 2 Dec 1885 with the 26" refractor at the Leander McCormick Observatory, recording "mag 16.0, pL, E like a fan." There is nothing at his rough position (given to an nearest min of RA and arcmin of Dec). But exactly 4 min of RA west is MCG -03-08-074 = PGC 11658. MCG doesn't label this galaxy as NGC 1231. RNGC classifies the number as nonexistent. Assuming NGC 1231 = PGC 11658, I'm a little surprised Leavenworth didn't mention NGC 1209, just 6' SW, but I don't think this is a duplicate observation of NGC 1209 as it is much too bright to be called mag 16.0.

400/500mm - 17.5" (1/12/02): extremely faint, very small, round, 0.4' diameter. A mag 15 star is just off the SSW edge of the halo, 30" from the center. Located 6.8' NE of NGC 1209. Due to a poor position by Leavenworth, this galaxy is classified as nonexistent in the RNGC.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb