Édouard Stephan discovered NGC 2538 = St VIIIb-28 on 2 Feb 1877. His position matches UGC 4266.
400/500mm - 17.5" (2/13/88): fairly faint, small, slightly elongated, bright core. Located between a mag 14 star 0.9' NW and a mag 12 star 1.7' SE. A faint double star mag 14/15 is just 1.2' E.
Notes by Steve Gottlieb