John Herschel discovered NGC 1521 = h2612 on 21 Nov 1835 and logged "pB; R; bM; barely in time and too late for a good observation." Nevertheless, his position matches ESO 550-011 = PGC 14520.

200/250mm - 8" (1/1/84): faint, very small, round, weakly concentrated. Located 5' NNW of mag 8.5 SAO 169161. Forms a pair with NGC 1518 22' WSW.

400/500mm - 18" (1/21/04): moderately bright, fairly small, slightly elongated N-S, ~1.2'x1.0', fairly well concentrated with a small bright core and stellar nucleus. Mag 8.4 SAO 169161 lies 4.6' SSE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb