Guillaume Bigourdan discovered NGC 1271 = Big. 21 on 14 Nov 1884, recording "mag 13.5, 20" diameter, no nucleus." His position is just off the south edge of CGCG 540-096 = PGC 12367.
400/500mm - 17.5" (8/12/88): very faint, small, slightly elongated, bright core, faint stellar nucleus. Member of AGC 426.
Notes by Steve Gottlieb