William Herschel discovered NGC 245 = H II-445 on 1 Oct 1785 (sweep 448) and recorded "F, iR, easily resolvable, 1' broad." The NGC RA is just 0.1 tmin too large.

300/350mm - 13.1" (9/29/84): moderately bright, slightly elongated WNW-ESE, star superimposed or faint stellar nucleus.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/8/88): moderately bright, moderately large, slightly elongated ~E-W, stellar nucleus. A pair of stars mag 13.5 and 14.5 with a separation of 35" lie 1.5' S.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb