John Herschel discovered NGC 1339 = h2538 on 18 Nov 1835 and logged "pB, R, pslbM, 40 arcsec." On a later sweep he noted "B, R, psmbM; a double star precedes." The double star (HJ 3578) is 5.8' NW.

300/350mm - 13.1" (10/10/86): moderately bright, very compact, round, bright core. An uneven mag 10.5/13 double star at 30" separation lies 6' NW. Member of the Fornax I cluster.

400/500mm - 18" (12/22/11): fairly bright, fairly small, elongated 4:3 or 3:2 ~N-S, 0.9'x0.6'. Has a high surface brightness and evenly increases to a small bright core and stellar nucleus. Located 6' SE of double star HJ 3578 = 9.2/12.6 at 27".

Notes by Steve Gottlieb