Andrew Ainslie Common discovered NGC 3663 in 1880 with his 36" silvered-glass reflector and recorded "eF, fan-shaped, star close". There is nothing at his position but 15' north is MCG -02-29-023 = PGC 35006 and two stars are at the northeast side of this galaxy. Common's position for his 32 discoveries are consistently poor in declination (obtained from reading the setting circle), so this identification is very plausible.

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/29/85): faint, fairly small, oval E-W, low even surface brightness. Two mag 13 and 15 stars are at the NE edge 39" and 57" from the center, respectively.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb