Wilhelm Tempel discovered NGC 2551 = T VI-2 on 9 Aug 1882 (while searching for Comet Pons (1812)) with the 11" refractor at Arcetri Observatory in Venice. He measured an approximate position and noted "Class III nebula, stellar center; on 11 August observed them again. Lewis Swift independently discovered the galaxy on 7 Sep 1885, and recorded it in list II-35. Swift's position is 17 tsec west of UGC 4362. MCG misidentifies MCG +12-08-039 (one degree north) as NGC 2551.

300/350mm - 13.1" (1/11/86): faint, diffuse, slightly elongated, brighter star off NE side. Observation made through thin clouds.

400/500mm - 17.5" (2/9/02): moderately bright, moderately large, elongated 5:3 SW-NE, 1.3'x0.7'. A mag 12 star (with a mag 14.5-15 companion 30" N) lies 2' NE. The halo suddenly rises to a very small, bright core and stellar nucleus.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb