William Herschel discovered NGC 2508 = H III-7 = h484 on 23 Jan 1784 (sweep 100) and recorded "a nebulous star, but doubtful of the nebulosity. Yet with 240 the same doubtful appearance continues." There is nothing near his position, but 1 min 42 sec of RA west and 3' south is UGC 4174. This was still an early sweep in which his positions were unreliable. On 28 Dec 1785 (sweep 496) he mentions "I looked for the supposed nebulous star of the 100th sweep, but the evening being remarkably clear and my telescope in fine order I only saw near the place several very close double stars, one of which probably has been the suspected one. Otherwise a small telescopic comet may have been thereabout." JH observed this galaxy on two sweeps although on sweep 120 no position was measured and on sweep 123 the position was marked very uncertain. The accurate NGC position is from Heinrich d'Arrest.

400/500mm - 17.5" (2/13/88): fairly faint, fairly small, oval slightly elongated NW-SE, small bright core. Collinear with two mag 13.5 stars 0.8' WSW and 1.3' WSW of center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb