Lord Rosse and George Johnstone Stoney discovered NGC 2697 on 24 Jan 1851. While observing NGC 2695, Stoney noted "another neb, S, oval, about 10' following and 4' north." d'Arrest measured an accurate position on 22 Feb 1865.

400/500mm - 17.5" (2/13/88): fairly faint, small, irregularly round, weak concentration. Located 9.4' NE of brighter NGC 2695 in the same field.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb