Francis Leavenworth discovered NGC 1547 = LM 1-126 on 17 Oct 1885 with the 26" refractor at the Leander McCormick Observatory and recorded a "cl? or neb with sev vF st and one *(mag) 11.5 north of center inv." There is nothing at his rough position (nearest minute of RA), but 43 sec of RA west is ESO 550-018 = PGC 14799, which matches his description. Herbert Howe measured an accurate position in 1898-99 using the 20" refractor at Chamberlin Observatory (repeated in the IC 2 notes), although he adds he "had no such suspicion" it was a cluster", probably due to the nearby stars. RNGC classifies the number as nonexistent and MCG does not label their entry as NGC 1547.

400/500mm - 17.5" (11/10/96): fairly faint, fairly small, elongated 4:3 NW-SE, 0.8'x0.6'. Contains a faint stellar nucleus offset to the south side or a mag 15.5 star is superimposed [DSS image appears to show a superimposed star]. A mag 13 star lies 1.2' NE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb