John Herschel discovered NGC 2249 = h3055 on 23 Dec 1834 and recorded "F; R; vglbM." On a later sweep he logged "pB; R; gbM; 50"; has a double star preceding." His position is accurate.

On 3 Jan 1886, Pietro Baracchi described the cluster with the 48" Melbourne telescope as "B; S; R; gbM; mottled as if resolvable; soft edged. A star 10 mag precedes nebula by 40s and is 30" north. Diameter of nebula 50" approximately." This object is classified as a globular cluster in SIMBAD.

300/350mm - 14" (4/3/16 - Coonabarabran, 178x): fairly bright, intermediate age LMC cluster, relatively large, 1.0' diameter, round, gradually increases to the center, no resolution. An unequal mag 11/13 pair at ~10" separation lies 3.7' WNW and mag 8.9 HD 45987 is 9' NW. NGC 2241, a fainter and smaller cluster, lies 16' W.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb