John Herschel discovered NGC 1578 = h2641 on 27 Dec 1834 (same night he discovered NGC 1522) and reported "vF, S, R, pgbM, dilute at the borders." His position (3 sweeps) matches ESO 202-014 = PGC 15025.

600/800mm - 24" (11/18/12 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): moderately bright, fairly small, slightly elongated, ~0.8'x0.65'. Sharply concentrated with a very small bright core and a stellar nucleus. Situated in a poor star field 1.2? ESE of mag 4.3 Gamma Doradus. Viewed with a 4.5-day moon in the sky.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb