William Herschel discovered NGC 3642 = H I-245 = h865 on 18 Mar 1790 (sweep 951) and noted "p or cB, pS, R, vgbM." His position is within 1' of the center of UGC 6385. Samuel Hunter, observing with LdR's 72" on 19 Apr 1862, noted "bright nucleus and I suspect it either a spiral or an annular neb."

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/19/88): bright, fairly large, round, even concentration down to a very bright core, faint stellar nucleus. Appears mottled (knot?) on the west side of the core.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb