Stephane Javelle found IC 547 = J. 1-165 on 20 Apr 1892 and recorded "pB, small, round, 20" diameter, weak concentration". His position matches MCG -02-25-004 = PGC 27309. This galaxy was discovered by Leavenworth on 6 May 1886, but his rough position was 2 minutes of RA too large. Since NGC 2947 matches in declination, and the Leander McCormick positions are generally 1 to 2 minutes of RA too large, the identification NGC 2947 = IC 547 is likely. This galaxy was found a third time by Swift and catalogued as Sw. XI-95 (later IC 2494), with an accurate position from Howe. Dreyer missed the two IC equivalences. MCG labels the galaxy as IC 547 only. Corwin notes "It is, so far as I know now (May 2003), the only object to have an entry in all three of Dreyer's catalogues."

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/25/95): fairly faint, round, 1.2' diameter, almost even surface brightness, well-defined outer edge to halo. Two mag 11 stars are off the SE edge 1.6' and 2.1' from the center. Incorrectly listed as nonexistent in the RNGC.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb