Johnstone and Bindon Stoney, LdR's assistants, discovered NGC 1424 on 8 Dec 1850 while observing the field of NGC 1417, and was suspected during the observation on 7 Oct. One of the observers noted a "faint nova" 16' following [NGC 1418]. The following month month Stoney called it "vF, E." This group was observed 15 times at Birr Castle. Francis Leavenworth mentions the galaxy in list II-381 [NGC 1429]: "1st of 2, one of which is GC 763 [NGC 1424]; *10, p 15 sec." There's only one galaxy here, though, so[NGC 1429 is considered lost or perhaps he found another pair and made a large error in position.

300/350mm - 13.1" (12/7/85): faint, fairly small, almost round, diffuse, slightly elongated N-S. Located 14' E NGC 1418.

400/500mm - 17.5" (11/25/87): faint, fairly small, slightly elongated ~N-S, even surface brightness. NGC 1418 lies 14' W and NGC 1417 19' W.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb