William Herschel discovered NGC 2783 = H III-295 on 13 Mar 1785 (sweep 386) and reported "vF, vS, R, just N.f. 2 pB stars." CH's reduced position is 3' north-northeast of UGC 4859 = PGC 26013 and the description of the nearby stars matches. Bigourdan measured an accurate position (first reporting it as Big. 274). Member of the NGC 2789 group and brightest in HCG 37.

400/500mm - 17.5" (2/8/97): brightest of three galaxies visible in HCG 37. Fairly faint, fairly small, elongated 3:2 NNW-SSE, bright core. Two mag 9.5-10 stars lie 1.4' SW and 2.2' SSW. IC 2449 = UGC 4856 = HCG 37B is 1.5' WNW and just off the NW side is a marginal member HCG 37C, 36" from center.

17.5" (3/28/92): this is the brightest galaxy in the HCG 37 group. Moderately bright, fairly small, elongated 2:1 N-S, bright core. Two bright stars are close south; a mag 9.5 star is 1.5' SW and a mag 10 star 2.3' SSW. The multiple system NGC 2783B = UGC 4856 lies 1.5' WNW (not seen). Located 22' NW of NGC 2789.

600/800mm - 24" (2/9/13): dominant member of the HCG 37 quintet (3 members observed). At 375x appeared fairly bright, moderately large, elongated 5:3 N-S, well concentrated with a bright 25" core and large low surface brightness halo, extending 1.0'x0.6'. HCG 37C (faint, very small, round 12" diameter) is just off the NW edge (0.6' from center) and IC 2449 = HCG 37B is 1.5' NW. Situated 1.4' NE of a mag 9.8 star (1.1' pair with a mag 11 star further south).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb