William Herschel discovered NGC 2415 = H II-821 = h456 on 10 Mar 1790 (sweep 937) and called "pB, cS, resolvable, preceding a considerable star." His position is 1.2' WNW of UGC 3930. John Herschel wrote on 22 Jan 1827 (sweep 51), "a curious, almost planetary neb 10" diam R; light nearly equable; between 2 small stars."

400/500mm - 17.5" (2/13/88): moderately bright, fairly small, round, bright core. Located 2.0' SW of mag 9.1 SAO 60227. The galaxy is bracketed by two mag 14 stars just 0.6' NW and 0.9' ESE of center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb