William Herschel discovered NGC 3227 = H II-29 on 15 Feb 1784 (sweep 146), along with NGC 3226. JH did not make an observation. See notes for NGC 3226.

300/350mm - 13.1" (4/16/83): fairly bright, elongated, bright core, stellar nucleus. This Seyfert galaxy forms a contact system with NGC 3226 2' NNW.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/25/92): fairly bright, fairly bright, elongated 5:2 NW-SE, 2.5'x1.0', prominent very small high surface brightness core, striking stellar nucleus. Just in contact with NGC 3226 at the NW tip 2.3' separation between cores. Brightest of three with NGC 3222 13' W.

900/1200mm - 48" (4/22/17): at 375x and 488x; very bright, large, elongated ~2:1 NNW-SSE. ~3'x 1.5'. Contains a very sharp, intensely bright stellar nucleus within a very bright elongated core. The large, elongated halo displays two subtle spiral arms. A broad, low surface brightness arm is attached on the NNW end and sweeps south on the east side, ending just west of a mag 14.7 star, which is 2.3' SE of center. A second broad arm emerges roughly on the southwest side and shoots north on the west side, extending to the halo of NGC 3226 [centers of the two galaxies sseparated by 2.2'].

Notes by Steve Gottlieb