William Herschel discovered NGC 3445 = H I-267 = h787 on 8 Apr 1793 (sweep 1038) and recorded "cB, pL, iR, about 1 1/4' dia. The greatest part of it almost equally bright." On 9 Feb 1831 (sweep 323), John Herschel wrote, "pB; L; R; vglbM; has a star 10m 2' nf." His position is accurate.

R.J. Mitchell, observing with LdR's 72" on 30 Mar 1856, recorded "[NGC 3445] is very curious, it is round with bright nucleus excentric and a dark curved passage sp this nucleus as in sketch. [See Plate III, fig 6]. The neby outside this dark curve runs up perhaps to a streak sf which is vF, but of the existence of which I have doubt." The "streak south-following", which was displayed on the sketch, is certainly MCG +10-16-024 = PGC 32784. It was mentioned again in the 3 Apr 1858 observation as "a vF, S patch of neby sf."

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/12/88): fairly bright, moderately large, slightly elongated WNW-ESE, broad concentration, bright core. Located 2.2' SW of a mag 10 star. Brightest in a group with NGC 3458 13.9' NE.

900/1200mm - 48" (5/16/12): bright, moderately large, very irregular shape, roughly 1.2' diameter. The brightest portion of the galaxy is on the north and east side and is very mottled with slightly brighter knots (a couple are on the east end). Attached on the west side and spreading further south is a spiral arm, appearing more like a diffuse extension. This "arm" fades out on the southeast side of the galaxy and just beyond is MCG +10-16-24, 1.2' SE of center.

MCG +10-16-24, an interacting companion, appeared faint to fairly faint, elongated 5:2 E-W, 20"x8". 2MASX J10544552+5659588 lies 1.5' ENE, between the main galaxy and a mag 10.3 star just 2.2' NE of NGC 3445. It appeared faint, very small, round, 12" diameter. The bright star detracted somewhat from viewing the fainter companions.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb