John Herschel discovered NGC 3617 = h3336 on 22 Mar 1836 and recorded "F; S; R: gbM; 20"." His position matches ESO 503-012 = PGC 34513.

400/500mm - 18" (3/19/04): fairly faint, small, round , 30" diameter. Increases to a very small brighter nucleus. I probably only viewed the brighter core and missed the dim halo.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb