John Herschel discovered NGC 2003 = h2891 on 23 Nov 1834 and described "a B S stellar neb, or very close cluster 15"." His position is accurate. GC and NGC misidentify (typo) this cluster with h2981, instead of h2891.

300/350mm - 13.1" (2/20/04 - Costa Rica): this compact cluster in the LMC appeared fairly faint, very small, round, 20" diameter. Appears to have a star involved or increases to a sharp stellar nucleus. S-L 553, a 3' star cloud (association LH 72) lies 9' E. S-L 553 appeared as a 3' elongated glow, consisting of a half-dozen resolved stars over an unresolved background glow of stars and nebulosity. The outline is irregular but elongated N-S. S-L 553 cluster is embedded within the HII complex LMC-N55 ("Eighth-Note Nebula"), though I didn't use a UHC filter to examine its extent.

600/800mm - 30" (10/12/15 - OzSky): at 303x; extremely bright, extremely high surface brightness core, fairly small, 30" diameter. Surrounded by a thin fainter halo. A mag 13-13.5 star or quasi-stellar knot [BSDL 2043] is at the west end and a couple of mag 15 stars are off the east side. Two mag 9 and 10 stars lie 4.7' SSW and 7' SSW and mag 8.0 HD 36849 is 9' WNW.

S-L 553 and the remarkable Eighth-Note Nebula (LHa 120-N55) lies ~8' E. Even without a filter the Eighth Note Nebula is a gorgeous object with ~75 stars (S-L 553) in a 7'x3' region elongated NW-SE. A very large, detailed nebula encompasses these stars. There are four main sections with the largest and brightest on the southeast end (N55A) extending ~2.5' diameter in an uneven, knotty circular glow. A couple of dozen stars are involved with N55A including a mag 13 star on the northeast end and a mag 12 star on its northeast side. A second small, detached 35" glow lies ~2' NW. Unfiltered, 4 or 5 mag 15-15.5 stars are involved. A larger roundish glow, extending 1', is 2' further NNW. A few mag 15 stars are involved and mag 11.5-12 HD 269722 (brightest in the cluster, type OBe) is 1.4' ENE. Finally the 4th and faintest piece is a 50" detached glow that is close north of the bright star. Three mag 14-14.5 stars are involved. Using an NPB filter at 152x enhances the nebulosity, presenting a showpiece object similar in detail to the Red DSS2 image! The three southern nebulous glows all have an irregular surface brightness and are connected by very faint nebulosity but the northernmost section seems detached.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb