James Dunlop probably discovered NGC 1712 = D 111 = h2685 on 24 Sep 1826 with his 9" reflector and described "a small round nebula. The preceding of three nebulae in the form of a triangle." He made 2 observations and his position is 12' SE of this nebulous cluster. JH made a single observation in Dec 1834 and reported "a pB, S, cluster." Herschel didn't reference Dunlop's possible earlier observation.

400/500mm - 18" (7/10/05 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): first of three clusters with nebulosity including NGC 1722 + IC 2111 4' NE and NGC 1727 8' NE. At 128x it appeared as an irregularly shaped 4' nebulous haze, situated just north of an attractive mag 10.7/11.5 double star (17"). A half dozen faint stars are embedded in the haze (part of LMC-N79) besides the two brighter stars at the south edge. This is a young LMC cluster and forms the western portion of association LH 1.

18" (7/9/02 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): this is the first of three nebulous clusters with NGC 1722 3.9' NE and NGC 1727 7.7' NE. NGC 1712 appears as a fairly large knotty region of stars and possible weak nebulosity (within LMC-N79), ~4' diameter. A mag 10.7/11.5 double (separation 17") is at the south edge.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb