R.J. Mitchell, LdR's assistant, discovered NGC 3016, along with NGC 3019, on 21 Mar 1854. There was no sketch made but the description reads "4 neb. Two p and f [NGC 3016 and 3019] about 4' apart; the 3rd is north about 3' [NGC 3024] forming the vertex of an obtuse triangle, the 4th is about 4' further north and lenticular [NGC 3020]." No positions were measured and only NGC 3019,[NGC 3020 and[NGC 3024 received GC numbers as JH incorrectly assumed that h642 referred to the 4th galaxy (see[NGC 3020 for the story).

Heinrich d'Arrest independently discovered this galaxy on 31 Dec 1864 with the 11" refractor at Copenhangen. His position, measured on 4 nights, matches UGC 5266. Dryer included it in the GC Supplement and credited d'Arrest. Finally, Dreyer realized the equivalence and both LdR and d'Arrest are credited in the NGC

300/350mm - 13.1" (4/29/84): fairly faint, small, round, almost even surface brightness.

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/23/85): fairly faint, fairly small, slightly elongated, weak concentration. Second brightest of five in the NGC 3020 group. NGC 3019 lies 5.4' NE and NGC 3020 is 8.2' NNE.

600/800mm - 24" (4/20/14): moderately to fairly bright, oval 4:3 WSW-ENE, 0.8'x0.6', contains a relatively large, very bright core that increases to the center. NGC 3019 lies 5.0' NE and CGCG 063-075 is 3.2' SW. The latter galaxy appeared very faint and small, round, 12", low even surface brightness.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb