William Herschel discovered NGC 1636 = H II-522 = h326 = h2654 on 1 Feb 1786 (sweep 516) and logged "F, pS, irr E, resolvable, about a minute sp a small star." JH observed this nebula both from Slough and from the CGH where he reported "F, R, gbM, 40", near some small stars."

400/500mm - 17.5" (1/23/93): faint, fairly small, elongated 3:2 N-S, 1.0'x0.6', slightly brighter along major axis. A mag 13.5 star is off the NE edge 1.0' from center. Located 6.0' NW of a mag 10 star.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb