John Herschel discovered NGC 7135 = h3891 on 23 Sep 1834 and recorded "pB; R; bM; 20"; a * 14m precedes just out of neb." On the next sweep he logged "pB; L; vgbM; has 5 st 8m in field surrounding it [the stars are 9th-11th mag]."

Lewis Swift found the galaxy again on 17 Sep 1897 at age 77 near the end of his observing career and assumed it was new. His description of Sw. XI-209 reads "eeF; pL; R; 3 B st form a triangle; nf of 2 [with IC 5135 = NGC 7130]." Herbert Howe reexamined the field in 1899 and realized Swift's #209 was identical to NGC 7135, so Dreyer didn't assign an IC desigation. But IC 5136, also from Swift just 2 nights earlier, may be another observation of NGC 7135. See Corwin's identification notes for that story.

300/350mm - 13" (8/5/83): faint, small, round, similar to NGC 7130 19' WSW. A triangle of stars precedes the galaxy.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/6/97): moderately bright, moderately large, ~2' diameter, irregularly shaped bright core. The halo appears to have an uneven or mottled surface brightness. A mag 14-15 star is embedded at the west edge [34" from center]. Located just following a bright triangle of mag 9.5-10.5 stars. NGC 7130 lies 19' WSW.

17.5" (7/16/93): fairly faint, fairly small, round, broad weak concentration, small bright core. Follows an isosceles triangle of mag 9.5-10.5 stars including mag 9.4 SAO 213316 5' NW, a mag 10 star 3.3' SW and a mag 11 star 2' N. Third of three with NGC 7130 19' WSW.

17.5" (7/30/92): fairly faint, fairly small, round, broad mild concentration. Unusual as three stars mag 9-10 just west form a right triangle. The galaxy is just east of a line connecting the two stars on the east side of the triangle.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb