William Lassell discovered NGC 3121 on 31 Mar 1848 with his 24" reflector at Starfield Observatory near Liverpool, England. He found this galaxy while observing Comet Mauvais 1847 IV ("almost in the field at the same time as the Comet") and reported the discovery in AN 27 [635], 171 (1848). Using the 6" Heliometer at Königsberg, Auwers described it as "faint, 1.5' diam, * 9-10m 4' north, 14-15 seconds preceding" and included it as #26 in his 1862 list of new nebulae. MCG labels this galaxy NGC 3119, though that number may also apply to this galaxy.

400/500mm - 17.5" (1/23/88): fairly faint, small, slightly elongated SSW-NNE. A mag 13.5 star is 3.6' W and a mag 10 star 5.5' NW. Forms a pair with NGC 3119 4' SSW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb