William Herschel discovered NGC 137 = H II-471 on 23 Nov 1785 (sweep 477) and logged "F, irr figure, lbM." His position is very accurate. Heinrich d'Arrest also measured an accurate position.

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/19/87): fairly faint, small, irregularly round, small bright core, stellar nucleus. A mag 15 star is 1' NNW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb