Francis Leavenworth discovered NGC 3965 = LM 2-452 in 1886 with the 26" refractor at the Leander McCormick Observatory. His notes mention "mag 16.0, 0.1' dia, R, bMN, *9.5 np 4'." There is nothing at his position, but Harold Corwin identifies LEDA 157086 = 2MASX J11542315-1052003 as NGC 3965. This faint galaxy is located 43 tsec west of Leavenworth's position (a typical error with the LM discoveries) and a mag 11 star 4.4' NW matches Leavenworth's description. RNGC classifies the number as nonexistent.

600/800mm - 24" (3/22/14): very faint, small, round, 12"-15" diameter. Immediately picked up once the position was centered at 375x. Located 11.8' NNW of mag 8.2 HD 103449.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb