ESO 086-056, located 8.8' NE, appeared moderately bright and large, elongated 5:2 WNW-ESE, 1.0'x0.4', broad concentration, the brighter core bulges slightly at the center.

John Herschel discovered NGC 2178 = h3019 on 31 Jan 1835 and logged "eF, vS, r, 10"." His position is 35" south of ESO 086-053 = PGC 18322. In 1926, Robert Innes described it as a "mbM, 12th mag, 15" diameter, preceding a bright star." (26-inch refractor, Union Observatory).

600/800mm - 30" (10/13/15 - OzSky): at 394x; fairly bright, moderately large, slightly elongated WSW-ENE, 50"x40", contains a very small bright core and stellar nucleus. A mag 15.3 star is close west-northwest [33" from center]. Located 2.7' WSW of mag 8.5 HD 41904. The LMC open cluster NGC 2162 lies 15' WNW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb