Andrew Common discovered NGC 3905 in 1880 with his 36" reflector. He recorded #24 in his Copenicus discovery list as "F, L, diffused". His (rough) position is 0.3 min of RA east and 2' south of MCG -01-30-035 = PGC 36909.

Ormond Stone found this galaxy again in 1886 at the Leander-McCormick and reported I-192 as "mag 15.5, 1.8' dia, iR, gbM." His rough position (nearest min of RA) was essentially correct (30 sec of RA east). Dreyer credited both Common and Stone in the NGC.

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/2/92): very faint, fairly small, slightly elongated, low even surface brightness. Forms the vertex of a right triangle with a mag 12 star 3' N and a mag 13 star 2' E. The halo fades into the background so it is difficult to determine the elongation.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb