John Herschel discovered NGC 2091 = h2957 in 1834-1835 (exact sweep or date unknown as based on a detailed sketch of the Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070) region made over several nights in Nov 1834 and Dec 1835) and recorded as "vF; S; mE; glbM; 1' l; perhaps a vF double neb. See Catalogue of the Nubecula Major." Since no sweep is given in his LMC catalogue, the discovery date is unknown. His position is ~1' SSW of this cluster.

600/800mm - 24" (4/10/08 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): I accidentally picked up this cluster while examining the beautiful star cloud/nebula NGC 2081 to the NW. A bright E-W ribbon is on the south side of NGC 2081 with its vertex (brighter and larger end of the streamer) closest to NGC 2074 (to the SW) and extending towards the east. Just beyond the east end of this ribbon I picked up this elongated glow that appeared collinear with the streamer. At 214x without a filter, the 35"x25" knot partially resolved into a number of fainter stars.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb