John Herschel discovered NGC 1737 = h2698 0n 11 Nov 1836 and recorded "very faint, small; the first of a trapezium of four nebulae. Place estimated from those of the second and fourth." The four objects are NGC 1737, 1743, 1745 and NGC 1748.

NGC 1737 was sketched by Turner on 13 Nov 1876 with the 48" Great Melbourne Telescope. See Plate III, figure 22 sketch at www.docdb.net/history/texts/1885osngmt________e/lithograph_m_3_22.php

600/800mm - 24" (11/18/12 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): at 200x appears as fairly faint nebulous patch centered ~1.8' NNW of the core of NGC 1743 and appears nearly connected. The outline is irregular and roughly 45" diameter with a couple of mag 14 stars involved on the south side. Within an impressive complex of nebulosity (LMC-N83 and association LH 5) with NGC 1745 and NGC 1748 as well as cluster NGC 1756.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb