William Herschel discovered NGC 2555 = H III-256 = h498 on 20 Dec 1784 (sweep 346) and remarked "vF, vS, diffused about the middlemost of 3 small stars in a row; but seems not connected to them; they being too large and like the rest of the scattered stars. Verified with 240 power." John Herschel described the galaxy on 27 Jan 1832 (sweep 397) as "vF; between a *12m sf and one 16m, north. The former dist about 1 diam, the latter about 1/2 diam from edge. His position is accurate. In 1857, R.J. Mitchell, the observer on the 72", noted two stars were at the NW edge.

400/500mm - 17.5" (2/13/88): moderately bright, moderately large, oval NW-SE. Several stars are near including a mag 12 star at the SE edge 1.1' from the center, a mag 13 star 1.7' NNE and a mag 14.5 star is at the NW edge 0.9' from center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb