Hermann Kobold discovered IC 4040 = K. 2-29 on 8 May 1896 with the 18-inch refractor at Strasbourg and recorded "vF, S, R, = B 306?." Kobold's position corresponds with CGCG 160-252 = PGC 44789 and all modern sources identify this galaxy as IC 4040. But Malcolm Thomson found that Bigourdan's #306, which Dreyer lists as the primary observer, refers to PGC 44792 (with attached star), which is 2.5' south of Kobold's object. Dreyer used Kobold's micrometric position, but Bigourdan's observation is nearly 5 years earlier. Thomson argues that based on prior discovery, IC 4040 should perhaps apply to Bigourdan's system, instead of the modern identification.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/21/90): very faint, small, elongated NNW-SSE. Located in the core of AGC 1656 6.9' NE of NGC 4889.with IC 4045 3.1' NE and NGC 4908 3.1' ESE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb