Some catalogues refer to this galaxy as IC 644. UGC 5976 (identified as NGC 3398 in CGCG and UGC) lies 13' NNE (see observation).

Lewis Swift found IC 644 = Sw. IX-24 on 8 May 1890 and reported "eeeF; pS; lE; B * sf; sp of 2." His position is ~1' E of UGC 5954 and the description fits so the identification is certain. This galaxy was discovered by William Herschel on 17 Apr 1789 and catalogued as H. III-792 (later NGC 3398). UGC, CGCG and RC3 label this galaxy IC 644. See NGC 3398 for more.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/22/95): brighter of a pair of galaxies oriented N-S. NGC 3398 is a faint, narrow edge-on streak 4:1 E-W, 1.0'x0.25'. IC 646, 4.6' NNE, is very faint, small, slightly elongated NW-SE, 0.5'x0.4'. Located 4.7' NW of mag 8.1 SAO 27802.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb