Édouard Stephan discovered NGC 2540 = St XIII-37 on 10 Feb 1885 with the 31" silvered-glass reflector at the Marseille Observatory. His position matches UGC 4275.

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/20/93): faint, moderately large, elongated 3:2 NW-SE, fairly low surface brightness halo, weak concentration. Situated within a triangle of mag 14 stars the closest being 1.3' W. Located 8' NNE of mag 8.5 SAO 80013.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb