James Dunlop probably discovered NGC 458 = D 60 = h2401 on 6 Sep 1826 with his 9" reflector from Parramatta and described "a round well-defined nebula, gradually brighter to the centre, about 25" diameter." He made a single observation (no others nearby) and his position is 12' too far east. John Herschel made 2 observations, recording on 12 Aug 1834 "F, L, R, vgbM, 4' dia." Herschel noted the equivalence with D 60. NGC 458 was described as "probably globular" in the 1935 Harvard Observatory Bulletin 899 based on Bruce plates at Arequipa.

400/500mm - 18" (7/6/02 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): this cluster is an outlying member of the SMC to the NE of the main body and 70' SE of NGC 362. At 228x, it appeared fairly bright, small, 1.5'-2' diameter, brighter core, slightly elongated. The surface brightness was irregular with some mottling but there was no apparent resolution. Three mag 10 stars are on the SW edge of the field, 10' from the cluster.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb