John Herschel discovered NGC 3533 = h3318 on 22 Apr 1835 and simply noted "eeF; attached to a vS star." His position is 14 sec of RA east of ESO 377-011 = PGC 33647 with the star at the northeast tip.

Gerard de Vaucouleurs labeled this galaxy as NGC 3557A in his 1956 "Survey of Bright Galaxies South of -35° Declination", based on Mt Stromlo plates, and the 1964 "Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies". He apparently missed the previous identity of NGC 3533.

300/350mm - 13.1" (2/17/04 - Costa Rica): fairly faint, moderately large, elongated 5:2 or 3:1 WSW-ENE, low fairly even surface brightness with just a weak, broad concentration. A mag 14 star is just north of the ENE tip. First in the NGC 3557 group (40' NW of NGC 3557).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb