Francis Leavenworth discovered NGC 690 = LM 1-37 on 9 Nov 1885 with the 26" refractor at Leander McCormick Observatory. His rough position is 1.5 tmin east of MCG -03-05-021 = PGC 6587.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/25/97): marginal object that required a GSC finder chart and averted vision just to glimpse. As the observation was extremely difficult, no details were visible, although it seemed round, perhaps 20" diameter. The correct position confirmed with respect to a couple of collinear mag 12 stars 5' SE and 10' SE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb