John Herschel discovered NGC 3648 = h868 on 18 Mar 1831 and noted "pB; pmE; S; has a suspicious nucleus, as if a vF close double star." The coordinates are marked uncertain, but his position is just 1' south of UGC 6389.

400/500mm - 18" (5/30/03): fairly faint, fairly small, elongated 3:2 WSW-ENE, 0.9'x0.6'. Contains a small, round, bright core with a quasi-stellar nucleus. Located 18' S of mag 6.6 SAO 43717 and 7' ESE of mag 9.7 SAO 43713.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb