NGC 1543 is a member of the NGC 1566 subgroup of the Dorado Group of galaxies. Deep images reveal a detached outer ring, which was not seen.

James Dunlop discovered NGC 1543 = D 306 = h2627 on 5 Nov 1826 with his 9" reflector and described as "a small round pretty well defined nebula, 10" or 12" diameter, slightly bright to the centre, a bright star in the field south following." Dunlop's position is 11' south of ESO 118-010 = PGC 14659. John Herschel independently found this galaxy on 4 Dec 1834 (no reference to Dunlop) and recorded it as "B, pL, pmE, smbM to a round nucleus = star 11th mag." Herschel's position is accurate.

600/800mm - 24" (11/18/12 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): bright, large, oval halo 2:1 E-W, at least 3'x1.5'. Sharply concentrated with a brilliant and bulging 1' round core that brightens slightly to a small, intense nucleus. The large halo is relatively fainter and fairly uniform. 9th magnitude HD 26942 lies 5' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb