John Herschel discovered NGC 597 = h2419 on 25 Sep 1834 and recorded "vF, R, 25"." On a later sweep he logged "F, S, R, bM, 15"." His mean position matches ESO 353-011 = PGC 5721.
400/500mm - 17.5" (12/26/00): very faint, small, round, 30" diameter. Located just 1.9' NNW of a mag 12.5 star.
Notes by Steve Gottlieb