John Herschel discovered NGC 2096 = h(725) between Nov 1836 and Mar 1837 with a 5-inch refractor and listed it as#725 in his preliminary catalogue of "Stars, Nebulae and Clusters in the Nubecula Major." His position is 1.7' too far south.

600/800mm - 30" (10/14/15 - OzSky): bright, compact LMC cluster, ~25". A close double star is resolved at the center, along with two other bright mag 13 stars and a couple of additional mag 15+ stars. A mag 11.8 star is off the west side [40" from center]. Mag 9.6 HD 270036 lies 3.5' NE. Nearby is NGC 2088 7' W, NGC 2094 6' N and NGC 2098 11' NNE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb