John Herschel discovered NGC 339 = h2369 on 18 Sep 1835 in the SMC and recorded "vF, L, R, vgbM, 3' or 3.5' diameter". His position is 1.3' NNW of center. NGC 339 was described as "probably globular" in the 1935 Harvard Observatory Bulletin 899 based on Bruce plates at Arequipa.

600/800mm - 30" (11/6/10 - Coonabarabran, 264x): moderately bright, fairly large, roundish, 3' diameter, weak concentration to a small brighter core. The outer halo appears ragged and mottled but the only definite resolution was a star on the east side of the halo. This cluster is located 15' SE of mag 6.7 HD 5499 and 45' NE of mag 5.1 Lambda Hyi. There are no brighter stars within 5'. NGC 339 is a massive intermediate age cluster (6.5 billion years old). Kron 37 lies 8.6' N.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb