Lewis Swift discovered NGC 48 = Sw. II-6, along with NGC 49 and 51, on 7 Sep 1885 with the 16" refractor at Warner Observatory. His position was 0.7 minutes of RA too large. Bigourdan measured an accurate position on 13 Oct 1890 (repeated in the IC 2 Notes) and as well as E.E. Barnard, who found them without prior knowledge (AN 4136).

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/31/86): third and largest of six in a group (first of three NGC galaxies with NGC 49 and NGC 51 along with the IC trio 1534/1535/1536!). Fairly faint, slightly elongated SSW-NNE, even surface brightness, diffuse. Lower surface brightness than NGC 49 and NGC 51 but larger.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb