Édouard Stephan discovered NGC 3018 = St X-21 on 10 Mar 1880, along with NGC 3023 = St X-22. His position is accurate. Lewis Swift independently discovered the galaxy exactly 6 years later, but his position in list III-48 is 0.4 min too far west. His comment "* near north, preceding of 2 [with NGC 3023]" clinches the equivalence.

400/500mm - 17.5" (2/8/91): faint, small, elongated 2:1 SW-NE. Dominated by a mag 10 star 48" NW of center. Forms a close pair with NGC 3023 3' E.

900/1200mm - 48" (4/7/13): bright, fairly large, very elongated 3:1 SSW-NNE, 0.9'x0.3', small bright core. A mag 9.7 star is just 0.8' NW of center. Forms a striking pair with NGC 3023 2.7' E.

48" (4/2/11): bright, edge-on 4:1 SSW-NNE, fairly large, ~60"x15", very small bright core. Located just 50" SE of mag 9.7 HD 85095 and 2.8' W of the fascinating galaxy NGC 3023 and Mrk 1236.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb