Lewis Swift discovered NGC 2550 = Sw. II-34 on 7 Sep 1885 (along with NGC 2544) and recorded "eeF; pS; cE; bet an eF *, and an unequal double star." His position and description matches UGC 4359.

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/23/92): fairly faint, moderately large, very elongated 3:1 ~E-W, even surface brightness. A mag 14.5 star is at the west tip 0.8' from center. A nice unequal double star SAO 6528 = 8.6/13 lies 2.5' E. Nearby is NGC 2544 12' W and NGC 2550A = UGC 4397 23' SE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb