Julius Schmidt discovered NGC 1382 on 19 Jan 1865 with the 6.2-inch refractor at the Athens Observatory during his survey of the Fornax Cluster (nebula "f" in his table). There is nothing at his position, but 37 seconds of RA east and 1.7' S is ESO 358-037 = PGC 13354. Since this the only reasonable candidate. His position for NGC 1381, the previous object is his list, is accurate so this identification is uncertain.

Harold Knox-Shaw found this galaxy again on a photograph taken with the 30-inch Reynolds reflector between 1912-14 at the Helwan Observatory and reported it as new in the 1915 observatory bulletin. de Vaucouleurs called this galaxy NGC 1380B in his 1956 "Survey of Bright Galaxies South of -35? Declination", based on Mt Stromlo plates. See Harold Corwin's notes for more.

300/350mm - 13.1" (12/22/84): very faint, round, fairly small, very diffuse. On a line with NGC 1381 9.5' SW and NGC 1379 20' SW. Member of the Fornax I cluster.

400/500mm - 18" (12/17/11): fairly faint, moderately large, round, 0.8' diameter. Fairly low surface brightness with only a broad, mild concentration and no core or zones. NGC 1381 lies 9.6' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb