William Herschel discovered NGC 524 = H I-151 = h117 on 4 Sep 1786 (sweep 581) and logged "cB, cL, R, cometic, vgmbM to a nucleus, several small stars near." On 8 Jan 1828 (sweep 118), John Herschel desribed this object as "vB; pL; R; psmbM; 60"; 4 st near." The NGC position is accurate.

200/250mm - 8" (11/8/80): fairly faint, round, bright core. Located just north of a mag 10 star.

300/350mm - 13.1" (8/24/84): bright, small very bright core surrounded by fainter round halo.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/17/87): very bright, fairly large, very bright core, large faint halo, bright stellar nucleus. A mag 11 star is 2.5' S. Brightest in the NGC 524 group including NGC 505, NGC 509, NGC 516, NGC 518, NGC 522, NGC 525, NGC 532.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb