John Herschel discovered NGC 2046 = h2923 on 11 Nov 1836 and wrote, "vF; R; gbM; the first of a group of six nebulae." His position and sketch (Pl IV, fig 9) is accurate.

Albert Le Sueur sketched the group on 7 Feb 1870 as well as Joseph Turner on 26 Apr 1876 and Pietro Baracchi on 18 Dec 1884 using the 48" Great Melbourne Telescope. Le Sueur's sketch was reproduced on plate IV, figure 33 and Turner's on plate IV, figure 32 in "Observations of Southern Nebulae made with the Great Melbourne Telescope 1869 - 1885". See www.docdb.net/history/texts/1885osngmt________e/lithograph_m_4_33.php.

600/800mm - 24" (4/9/08 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): this is the first in a rich field of 8 NGC clusters (with the brightest NGC 2058). At 200x, it appeared bright, fairly small, slightly elongated WSW-ENE in the direction of a mag 13 star just 0.8' SW. The core seems offset from the center to the NE end or a compact knot of stars is attached at the following end. NGC 2047 lies 3.2' NNE. Located 6' SE of mag 8.2 HD 37762.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb