Lewis Swift discovered NGC 3243 = Sw. III-54 on 2 Apr 1886 and noted "vF; S; lE; between a pB and a vF *." His position is 10 tsec west and 1' south of UGC 5652 and the description fits.

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/29/97): fairly faint, fairly small, round, 40" diameter, moderate concentration to a very small brighter core and occasional stellar nucleus (possibly offset from center). Located 1.5' SE of a mag 10.5 star and a similar star is 4' NNE. IC 609 lies 27' NNW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb