William Herschel discovered NGC 1662 = H VII-1 = h332 on 18 Jan 1784 (sweep 80) and found "a cluster of large scattered stars, they are visible in the finder." His Philosphical Transactions description also using a later sweep, added "10' or 12' in extent, with a vacancy in the middle." His position was 30 seconds of time too far east, but John Herschel measured an accurate position on 19 Jan 1828 (sweep 121) and described, "A cluster of stars 11 and 12m, three L and five small stars. Query if the right object." It is.

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/9/01): striking group of ~40 stars within 15' including a number of mag 9 stars. Many of the brighter stars are arranged in a "boat" shape with the bottom of the boat consisting of a string oriented NW-SE. In the middle is a mast, perpendicular to the longer stream of stars. The "mast" includes the multiple star HJ 684, a bright quadruple of mag 8-10 stars with a 5th fainter star (8.5/10.3 at 24" and 9.6/12.5 at 10").

Notes by Steve Gottlieb