Albert Marth discovered NGC 1254 = m 89 on 9 Sep 1864 with Lassell's 48" reflector on Malta and logged "F, vS, stellar". His position is accurate.
400/500mm - 17.5" (10/24/87): faint, very small, slightly elongated SW-NE, small bright core, faint stellar nucleus. Equidistant between mag 8.7 SAO 111066 5' SSW and mag 8.4 SAO 111068 5' NE.
Notes by Steve Gottlieb