John Herschel discovered NGC 1356 = h2549 on 23 Dec 1837 and recorded "vF, R, gbM, 40 arcsec." The next sweep he logged "vF, pL, irregular, near stars." His first position is at the northern tip of the galaxy.

600/800mm - 24" (4/5/08 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): at 260x appeared moderately bright and large, slightly elongated N-S, ~1.2'x1.0'. Weak concentration, though with direct vision a faint, stellar nucleus is visible. With careful viewing the galaxy appeared to be mottled or clumpy. Forms a close pair with much fainter IC 1947 located 2.2' SW. A mag 12.7 star lies 1.3' SW, directly between NGC 1356 and IC 1947. IC 1947 appeared faint, fairly small, elongated 2:1 NW-SE, ~0.5'x0.25'. Forms the west vertex of a small triangle with the mag 12.7 star 1' NE and a mag 11.7 star 1.3' SSE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb