Frank Muller discovered NGC 168 = LM 2-287, along with NGC 172 and 177, in 1886 with the 26" refractor at the Leander McCormick Observatory. His position and description matches ESO 474-004. Herbert Howe measured an accurate position in 1899-00 using the 20" refractor at Chamberlin Observatory (repeated in the IC 2 notes).

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/3/88): first of three in a group with NGC 172 and NGC 177. Very faint, very small, slightly elongated. An extremely faint star is possibly involved. NGC 172 lies 7' E and NGC 177 13' ENE.

600/800mm - 24" (10/3/13): first of three edge-ons with NGC 172 8.1' E and NGC 177 13' ENE. At 375x appeared fairly faint, moderately large, edge-on 5:1 SSW-NNE, 40"x8", broad weak concentration. A mag 10.4 star is 5.5' N.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb