John Herschel discovered NGC 1719 = h340 on 23 Nov 1827 (sweep 107) and reported "pB; R; psbM; has a B * N.f.; the fol of 2 [with NGC 1713]." Although his position is given as uncertain, it is just 1.7' WNW of UGC 3226 = PGC 16501. Heinrich d'Arrest's position (used in the NGC) is only 40" N. MCG identifies this galaxy as NGC 1717 = NGC 1719, but NGC 1717 is either a star or it is NGC 1709 according to Corwin.

300/350mm - 13.1" (11/29/86): fairly faint, very small, elongated ~E-W. A mag 14.5 star is at the west end.

400/500mm - 17.5" (2/22/03): fairly faint, fairly small, edge-on 4:1 ~E-W, 0.8'x0.2', faint stellar nucleus. A mag 15 star is superimposed on the southwest edge. A mag 13 star is 1.7' NW.

600/800mm - 24" (1/28/17): at 225x; moderately bright, fairly small, contains a very small bright core with very low surface brightness extensions, ~40"x15". A mag 15 star is superimposed on the southwest side ~15" from center. Located 11' SW of mag 8.1 HD 32024.

CGCG 394-064 lies 6.8' NNE of NGC 1719 within a group of stars. It appeared faint, fairly small, elongated 2:1 WNW-ESE, 25"x12", low surface brightness. CGCG 394-064 forms a close pair with LEDA 1150545 1.7' W. This galaxy was extremely faint (V = 16.0) and small, round, 10" diameter. It required averted to glimpse and only occasionally popped. Located 1.3' SE of a mag 10.7 star.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb