William Herschel discovered NGC 2859 = H I-137 = h593 on 28 Mar 1786 (sweep 549) and logged "vB, R, vsmbM, chevelure extending to about 3' diameter". John Herschel made 3 observations, recording on 1 Apr 1831 (sweep 336), "vB; R; vsmbM to a star; follows a * 7m and is 3' S of it." A total of 11 observations were made by LdR and assistants and a couple of superimposed stars were noted in the outer halo [on the north side]. On 28 Mar 1861, Sir Robert Ball wrote, "Dull Nucl, I susp a dark ring around it [there is!]. A vF neb nf. I strongly suspect st in h593 [=NGC 2859]." The "vF neb nf" is probably UGC 5004.

Originally classified as a SBa by Hubble. de Vaucouleurs (1975) lists it as one of the 5 brightest galaxies in the NGC 2964 group, which includes NGC 2859, 2964, 3003, 3032 and 3067.

200/250mm - 8" (12/6/80): faint, fairly small, round, bright core.

300/350mm - 13.1" (1/28/84): moderately bright, moderately large, strong concentration to a bright core, elongated 4:3 ~N-S, fainter halo. Located 40' ENE of Alpha Lyncis (V = 3.1).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb