The NGC position happens to fall closer to ESO 602-020 = PGC 68960 (double system), which is identified as NGC 7287 in NED, although this galaxy is less likely to be the NGC object. ESO 602-020 appeared very faint, small, slightly elongated, bright core.

Frank Muller discovered NGC 7287 = LM 2-468 in 1886 with the 26" refractor at the Leander McCormick Observatory. He described it as "mag 15.0, 0.1' dia, E 330° [NNW-SSE]" with a note "slightly nebulous **." There are several faint galaxies near his position, but since the Leander McCormick are often 1 or 2 minutes off in time, Corwin suggests NGC 7287 may be a triple star at 22 27 17 -22 07 00 (2000). This pair is roughly 1 min 15 sec west of Muller's position and the orientation of the stars is northwest-southeast

As far as nearby galaxies, just 16 seconds east and 4' south is ESO 602-020A. Sherburne Burnham (Publ of Lick Observatory, II) found this galaxy and described it as two very faint objects about 20" apart (the following one appeared to a faint star). Corwin feels this candidate is less likely because of the relatively large difference in declination and the wrong position angle. The RNGC misidentifies ESO 533-030 as NGC 7287.

400/500mm - 18" (8/31/11): this close pair of stars (seems to be a trio of stars on the DSS) was barely resolved at 220x and initially could have easily passed for a small, nebulous object, elongated NW-SE. The separation is just a few arc seconds. Located 21' WSW of 7.4-magnitude HD 213005.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb