John Herschel discovered NGC 1249 = h2514 on 5 Dec 1834, recording "B; L; vmE in pos. 80?; vgbM to an axis; 2.5' l; 1' br." His position and description matches ESO 155-006 = PGC 11836.

600/800mm - 24" (4/9/08 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): fairly bright, large, very elongated nearly 3:1 E-W, ~4'x1.4', broad concentration with a bulging middle. Brighter along the major axis suggesting it's a bar. The observation was cut short by clouds, so it's possible the observation was somewhat compromised.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb