John Herschel discovered NGC 3450 = h3303 on 22 Mar 1835 and logged "vF; L; R; vglbM; r; 90"." There is nothing near his position, though ESO 569-023 is exactly 3.0 min of RA east. RC3, ESO-LV and ESGC identify ESO 569-006 = PGC 32270 as NGC 3450. ESO 569-006 is 5.2 minutes of RA west of JH's position, but is a much brighter galaxy and a better fit with the description." This identication was first suggested in the 1921 Helwan list, based on photographs taken with the 30" reflector in 1914-16. MCG doesn't identify this galaxy as NGC 3450. The other objects observed in the sweep (NGC 3514, 3528 and 3529) show no large errors in RA.

400/500mm - 18" (3/29/03): fairly faint, moderately large, nearly round, 1.8'x1.5'. Situated between two mag 12/13 stars 3.4' N and 3.4' S. DSS reveals a face-on symmetric barred spiral.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb