John Herschel discovered NGC 1968 = h2870 on 2 Jan 1837 and described "The third of a great line of rich clusters [with NGC 1955, 1969, 1971, 1972 and 1974] all connected by abundance of irregularly scattered stars." His position is 1' too far west.

600/800mm - 30" (11/5/10 - Coonabarabran, 264x): NGC 1968 is the third in a great chain of clusters involved in extensive nebulosity oriented southwest to northeast. The cluster is bright and very elongated 3'x1' E-W with ~20 stars including a number of mag 12-13 stars. The cluster (part of association LH 60) is surrounded by nebulosity (Henize N51C) that brightens on the east end in a large, round knot and extends beyond the cluster on the south side for several arc minutes in the direction of NGC 1955 to the WSW. NGC 1968 is connected to NGC 1974, another nebulous cluster 3' NE and NGC 1955 lies 8' WSW. The entire complex is nicknamed the LMC "Sextant Arc".

Notes by Steve Gottlieb