William Herschel discovered NGC 1653 = H II-526 on 1 Feb 1786 (sweep 518) and remarked "F, cS, R, lbM." His position is just off the ESE side of UGC 3153 = PGC 15942.
300/350mm - 13.1" (11/29/86): moderately bright, moderately large, round, broadly concentrated halo. The NGC 1654/NGC 1657 pair lies 19' N.
Notes by Steve Gottlieb