William Herschel discovered NGC 280 = H III-477 = h72 on 5 Dec 1785 (sweep 484) and logged "vF, S, R, just preceding a vF star." This galaxy was observed with on 3 nights at Birr Castle and R.J. Mitchell recorded on 26 Oct 1854, "F object with two nuclei, possibly a spiral." There is no double nuclei, but the spiral suggestion is correct.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/20/90): faint, fairly small, oval 3:2 E-W, weak concentration. A mag 13.5 star is just off the SE edge 1.0' from center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb