Friedrich August Winnecke discovered NGC 3222 = Au 27 in March 1855 with a 9.6-in Fraunhofer refractor at the Berlin Observatory, "while observing the double nebula [NGC 3226/3227]." He added "it is much fainter than both components, round and slightly brighter to the middle." Using the Heliometer at Konigsberg, Auwers described it as "very faint, ~1' diam; star-like core 12-13m." d'Arrest and Schultz also measure accurate micrometric positions, and Schultz called it "binuclear".

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/25/92): fairly faint, small, slightly elongated SW-NE, small bright core, faint halo. A mag 14.5 star is just south of the west edge 0.6' from center. A mag 11.5 star lies 2.9' S. FIrst of three with the NGC 3226/3227 duo 13' E in field.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb