John Herschel discovered NGC 1288 = h2520 on 19 Nov 1835 and recorded "vF; L; R; vglbM; 2.5' diam." His position and description is accurate. Lewis Swift saw the galaxy as "considerably elongated in the meridian [N-S]. It is not round as Sir J. Herschel says."

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/28/00): fairly faint, moderately large, elongated 4:3 ~N-S, 2.0'x1.5', broad concentration with no distinct. The surface brightness appears somewhat uneven (face-on Sb) although the outer halo fades smoothly into the background.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb