Wilhelm Tempel discovered NGC 1544 = T I-16 in 1876 with an 11" refractor at the Arcetri Observatory. He reported it as a "very small nebula, surrounded by many faint stars but as bright as II. 704 [NGC 1184]." His position is close west of UGC 3160 = PGC 16608. This galaxy is the 2nd closest galaxy to the pole (next to "Polarissima") in the NGC or IC.

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/19/88): fairly faint, small, round. Several faint stars are near including an evenly matched mag 14.5 pair with 10" separation at the north edge 20" from center. This is the second closest NGC galaxy to the north celestial pole.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb