Francis Leavenworth discovered NGC 286 = LM 1-17 (along with NGCs 283, 284 and 285) on 2 Oct 1886 with the 26" refractor at the Leander McCormick Observatory. His (rough) position is a good match with MCG -02-03-034 = PGC 3142. Herbert Howe measured an accurate position in 1897 using the 20" refractor at Chamberlin Observatory.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/28/89): very faint, very small, slightly elongated N-S. Fourth of four with NGC 285 3.5' S and NGC 284 4' SSW.

600/800mm - 24" (10/5/13): fairly faint, fairly small, oval 4:3 N-S, 40"x30", weak concentration, small brighter nucleus. By a slight margin, the brightest in a compact quartet of similar NGC galaxies with NGC 283/284/285 in an east-west string just 3' S. Also PGC 173072, a much fainter galaxy, lies 3.7' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb