John Herschel discovered NGC 3246 = h712 on 9 Apr 1828 and recorded "eF; S; R: two stars, 10 and 11m sp, dist 90"." HIs position and description matches UGC 5661.

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/25/00): faint, moderately large, oval 3:2 E-W, broad weak concentration, 1.5'x1.0'. Forms the northern vertex of an equilateral triangle with two mag 11.5-12.5 stars 2.8' SW and 3.0' SSW of center. Located 9' SW of mag 6.7 SAO 118299.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb