Bindon Stoney, LdR's assistant, discovered NGC 2699 on 27 Jan 1852. He noted "about 20' sf [of NGC 2695] are 2 B, S neb, about 5' asunder." At this position are NGC 2698 (discovered earlier by John Herschel) and NGC 2699. Heinrich d'Arrest discovered NGC 2699 independently on 4 Jan 1862 (called a "Doppelnebel" in AN 57, 337). d'Arrest noted in a later observation that he had no doubt it was one of LdR's "6 knots", but he was credited with the discovery in the GC and NGC.

400/500mm - 17.5" (2/13/88): fairly faint, very small, round, bright core. A mag 14.5-15.0 star is 0.9' NE of center (NGC 2700). Forms a pair with NGC 2698 4.7' SW in the NGC 2695 NGC 2698 group.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb