John Herschel discovered NGC 1311 = h2525 on 24 Dec 1837, recording it as "F, mE in position 37.3 degrees; gbM, 2' long, 15 arcseconds broad.". His position and description is accurate. NGC 1311 and NGC 1356 are included in a list of 46 nebulae recorded on two plates made with the Bruce telescope in October 1898 by DeLisle Stewart (http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1899HarCi..38....1P).

600/800mm - 24" (11/18/12 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): moderately bright, fairly large, very elongated 7:2 SW-NE, 2.2'x0.6', broad concentration with a large, brighter core but no distinct nucleus. Located 9.5' S of mag 8.4 HD 20916. Member of the Dorado Group.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb