William Herschel discovered NGC 259 = H II-621 = h63 = h64 on 13 Dec 1786 (sweep 646) and recorded "F, E from np to sf, 1 1/2' long, lbM." He found it again the following year on 11 Sept 1787, relisting the nebula as II-703. The second observation had an error in the offset position, so WH thought it was a new discovery. Strangely, JH also recorded the galaxy twice, as h 63 (called a "Nova") and h 64 = H II-621. Heinrich d'Arrest noted the equivalence of both entries. See JH's note in the GC and NGC.

400/500mm - 17.5" (11/28/97): fairly faint, moderately large, very elongated 3:1 NW-SE, 2.0'x0.7', broad concentration. Forms the vertex of a right isosceles triangle with a mag 11 star 3' SSE and a mag 11.5 star 3.4' WSW. MCG -01-03-012 lies 14' WNW (see notes for NGC 331).

17.5" (10/20/90): fairly faint, fairly small, edge-on 4:1 NW-SE, bright core, stellar nucleus, pretty system. Forms a right angle with a mag 10.5 star 3' SSW and a mag 11.5 star 3.5' ESE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb