Frank Muller discovered NGC 172 = LM 2-288, along with NGC 168 and 177, in 1886 with the 26" Clark refractor at Leander McCormick Observatory. His position is a good match with ESO 474-005 = PGC 2228. Herbert Howe measured an accurate position in 1899-00 using the 20" refractor at Chamberlin Observatory (repeated in the IC 2 notes) and commented there is mag 13 star close southwest.

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/3/88): second of three with NGC 168 and NGC 177. Faint, edge-on 5:1 SSW-NNE, low even surface brightness. NGC 168 lies 7' W and NGC 177 5' ENE.

600/800mm - 24" (10/3/13): fairly faint, moderately large, edge-on SSW-NNE, 0.9'x0.2', irregular surface brightness. Second of three edge-ons in the KTS 4 triplet with NGC 168 8' W and NGC 177 5.3' NE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb