Pierre Méchain discovered M94 = NGC 4736 = h1456 on 22 Mar 1781. William Herschel recorded (sweep 717 on 18 Mar 1787) "very brilliant. A large, luminous nucleus of more than 20" diameter with faint chevulure and branches extending 6 or 8'." Again on 9 Apr 1787 (sweep 725), he logged "Very brilliant, with much F nebulosity on the sp and more on the following side." JH published 6 observations and noted on sweep 150 "vB; R; psvmbM to a nipple; with 240, r; glimpses of stars seen. A fine object. 90" or 2' in diam."

Bindon Stoney reported it as a new spiral in his observation at Birr Castle on 9 Apr 1852. On 13 Apr 1855, R.J. Mitchell logged "vlE pf, dark ring round the nucleus, the bright ring exterior to this. The annulus, however, is not perfect, but broken up and patchy, and the object will probably run out to be a spiral.

300/350mm - 13.1" (4/12/86): very bright, very impressive, fairly large, oval WNW-ESE, very bright core containing a stellar nucleus.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb