Francis Leavenworth discovered NGC 1561 = LM 1-127 with the 26" refractor at the Leander McCormick Observatory and noted "mag 14.0, vS, lE 170?, glbM, *8, precedes 6 seconds." His rough position (nearest minute of RA) is a good match with MCG -03-12-006 = PGC 15005, and the bright star is 2' SW. Herbert Howe measured an accurate position in 1898-99 using the 20" refractor at Chamberlin Observatory (repeated in the IC 2 notes) for NGC 1561, 1562, 1563, 1564 and 1565.

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/30/99): faint, small, irregularly round, 0.4' diameter, small brighter center. Located 2' NE of mag 9 SAO 149593. Brightest of six faint galaxies with NGC 1562 (18' WNW), NGC 1563 (7.0' NNW), NGC 1564 (6.4' N), NGC 1565 (8' NE) and IC 2063 (12' NNW).

17.5" (11/10/96): faint, small, round, weak concentration. Located 2.1' NE of a mag 9 star.

17.5" (2/8/91): very faint, small, round, broad mild concentration. Located 2' NE of a mag 8.8 SAO 149593. Brightest in a very faint group including NGC 1563, NGC 1564, NGC 1565 and IC 2063.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb