John Herschel discovered NGC 2712 = h540 on 19 Mar 1828 (sweep 139) and remarked "pB; L; E; vgbM; 2' l; 1.5' br' with attention a central point is seen = a * 18m." His position matches UGC 4708. Romney Robinson observed it with Lord Rosse's 72" on 5 Mar 1848 and described a "fine globular cluster, well resolved, no trace of * in centre." Robinson was adamant that all nebulae could be resolved so this bias certainly affected the observation.

300/350mm - 13.1" (2/23/85): moderately bright, elongated 3:2 N-S, weak concentration, faint stellar nucleus.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb