Albert Marth discovered NGC 7530 = m 540, along with NGC 7532 and 7534, on 1 Oct 1864 and noted "eF, vS, alm stellar." His position is accurate.

300/350mm - 13.1" (9/29/84): faint, diffuse, even surface brightness, slightly smaller than NGC 7534 4.1' NE. Member of the NGC 7532-7556 group.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/1/87): faint, small, slightly elongated ~E-W, very small brighter core. First in a trio on a SW-NE line with NGC 7532 4.1' NE and NGC 7534 6.1' NE in the NGC 7532-7556 group.

600/800mm - 24" (8/7/13): fairly faint to moderately bright, fairly small, oval 3:2 NW-SE, 27"x18", moderate concentration with a small brighter core. First in a trio (KTS 71) aligned SW to NE with NGC 7532 4' NE. A mag 10.7 star lies 2.7' ENE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb