William Herschel discovered NGC 2541 = H III-710 = h492 on 9 Mar 1788 (sweep 815) and called it "vF, iF, 2.5' long, 1.75' broad." His position is 20 sec of RA west of center. John Herschel recorded it on 7 Mar 1831 (sweep 329) as "not vF; L; lE; vgbM; 90"." His position is just north of the core of UGC 4284. An interesting sketch made with the 72" appears to show an elongated HII region or a portion of a spiral arm on the southwest side, separated from the main body.

300/350mm - 13.1" (2/23/85): faint, fairly large, very diffuse halo, elongated NNW-SSE, weak concentration to an elongated core. A mag 10 star lies 4.5' NNE. In a group with NGC 2500 and NGC 2522.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb