John Herschel discovered NGC 1998 = h2880 on 28 Dec 1834 and recorded "eeF, R, bM, the following of two [with NGC 1995 = h2879]; in field to the south is a brilliant group of stars." His position matches ESO 204-015 = PGC 17434, though NGC 1995 applies to a double star. RNGC misclassifies NGC 1998 as nonexistent (Type 7), though the photographic description for NGC 1998 is given under the listing for NGC 1995. Megastar mislabels this galaxy as NGC 1995.

300/350mm - 14" (4/7/16 - Coonabarabran, 145x and 230x): faint, slightly elongated ~N-S, 25"x20", smooth surface brightness. Located within a striking group of mag 9-11 stars; a mag 10 star is 3.5' NE, five mag 9.0-10.8 stars in a N-S string (6' length) is close south, including HD 274952 and 37047. NGC 1995, a close pair of very faint stars, is 2.3' NW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb