William Herschel discovered NGC 1611 = H III-586, along with NGC 1609, on 26 Nov 1786 (sweep 638) and recorded "eF, S, E, but hazy weather." His summary description (including a later observation) reads "eF, S, E nearly in parallel, another suspected 3' S.f., stellar." In Dreyer's 1912 update to WH's catalogues, he states that WH probably also observed NGC 1613 but his orientation should read 3' north-following instead of 3' south-following.

400/500mm - 17.5" (2/1/92): faint, fairly small, very elongated 3:1 WNW-ESE, large brighter middle. Member of a quadruple subgroup (NGC 1613 5' ENE, NGC 1609 7' SW, NGC 1612 7.5' NNE) within the NGC 1600 group.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb