The "Carafe Galaxy" is the largest in the trio. At 260x this galaxy was slightly elongated N-S, with a 1.5'x1.2' halo and an unusual structure. A brighter bar extends through most of the galaxy in a N-S direction with a brightest and bulging portion of the bar on the south side (perhaps an offset core). The northern half of the bar is narrower and extends nearly to the edge of the halo creating a lopsided barbell appearance.

John Herschel discovered NGC 1595 = h2646 (along with NGC 1598 = h2647) on 3 Dec 1837 and recorded "vF, R, bM, 15 arcseconds." His position is accurate.

600/800mm - 24" (11/18/12 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): moderately bright, oval 5:3 SSW-NNE, 40"x25", well concentrated with a small bright core and stellar nucleus. With averted vision the dim outer halo increases to 50"x30". Second of three in the Carafe Group with NGC 1598 2.8' NE and ESO 202-023 (Carafe Galaxy) 6.9' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb