Lewis Swift discovered NGC 1286 = Sw. III-25 on 10 Nov 1885 with the 16" refractor at Warner Observatory. His position is 7 sec of RA east of MCG -01-09-025 = PGC 12250.

400/500mm - 18" (11/23/05): fairly faint, small, round, 25" diameter, very small bright core. A mag 15 star is just of the west side, ~40" from the center. Located 4.9' ENE of mag 9.7 SAO 130402 and 3.4' NNW of a mag 10.4 star.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb