Otto Struve discovered NGC 3563 on 18 Mar 1869 with the 15-inch Merz refractor at Pulkovo Observatory in St Petersburg. He found this galaxy while searching for Comet Winnecke (7P/Pons-Winnecke) and noted it was 2' south of a mag 8 star in PA 169°. RC 3 and the first edition of the Deep Sky Field Guide label this galaxy NGC 3563B and the fainter companion NGC 3563A.

400/500mm - 18" (5/31/03): faint, very small, round, 0.4' diameter. This is a double galaxy and a very small companion was just resolved on the west edge. NGC 3563A appears as an extremely faint, round "knot" (perhaps 10" diameter) just 17" W of center. Located 3.3' S of mag 9.5 SAO 81711.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb