Brightest in a small group along with NGC 7155 and NGC 7151 and one of the brightest members of the Pavo-Indus Cloud including NGCs 7213, 7205, 7049 and 7083.

John Herschel discovered NGC 7144 = h3894 on 30 Sep 1834 and recorded "vB; pL; R; smbM to nucleus; 45"." His position (measured on two sweeps) is accurate.

Pietro Baracchi observed this galaxy on 2 Nov 1885 with the Great Melbourne Telescope and wrote, "B, small, round, svmbM to an almost star like nucleus - fades away outwards, the diameter being about 60". Very faint in every part except the nucleus, which alone justify the object to be called bright."

200/250mm - 11" (8/8/04 - Haleakala Crater): moderately bright and large, round, 1.5' diameter, increases to a very small brighter nucleus. This galaxy has a high surface brightness. A mag 11 star lies 3' NNE. In the same 38' field at 127x as NGC 7145, situated 23' NNE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb