William Herschel discovered NGC 315 = H II-210 = h79 on 11 Sep 1784 (sweep 266) and noted "F, pL, unequally bright, resolvable, near a pB star." JH observed this nebula on 3 sweeps and NGC 311 was also found. When the field was observed using Lord Rosse's 72", NGC 318 was also discovered, though a nearby single star (NGC 316) and a double star (NGC 313) were mistaken as nebulous.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/17/87): fairly bright, fairly small, oval 3:2 ~SW-NE, bright core, stellar nucleus. Located 3.5' NW of mag 8.5 SAO 54298. Brightest of three and at midpoint connecting NGC 311 6' SW and NGC 318 6' NE. A close faint double star is 1' NW of center = NGC 313.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb