Ralph Copeland discovered NGC 85 on 15 Nov 1873 using Lord Rosse's 72" and recorded "eeF, cL, R neb, was certainly and repeatedly seen. Pos 7.4°, dist 289.2" or 2.7s f, 4'46" N of [N83]. His micrometric offset points directly at CGCG 479-009 = PGC 1375. MCG identifies this galaxy as NGC 85A and assigns NGC 85B to IC 1546.

300/350mm - 13.1" (9/29/84): extremely faint, very diffuse, small, almost round. Located 5' N of NGC 83.

400/500mm - 17.5" (9/19/87): very faint, very small, slightly elongated. Forms a close pair with IC 1546 = NGC 85B 53" ESE and NGC 83 lies 5' S.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb