NGC 3345A appeared extremely faint, thin edge-on 7:1 NNW-SSE, ~2.0'x0.3'. Requires averted vision and concentration to glimpse, no noticeable concentration. Surprisingly low surface brightness and might not have been noticed unless aware of position. The major axis points just north of a mag 11.5 star 2.1' NW of center. Also a mag 12 star is 2.4' N.

William Herschel discovered NGC 3245 = H I-86 = h711 on 11 Apr 1785 (sweep 396) and noted "cB, pL, mbM, the greatest brightness lE." John Herschel made 5 observations calling the galaxy "very bright" on 4 sweeps.

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/29/97): bright, fairly large, elongated ~3:2 N-S, 2.2'x1.3'. Unusually bright 30" core, increases to a very small but nonstellar nucleus. The faint edge-on NGC 3345A = UGC 5662 lies 8.8' NNW. Brightest in a small, loose group (LGG 197) that incudes NGC 3245A, 3254, 3265 and 3277.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb