William Herschel discovered NGC 2784 = H I-59 = h571 = h3148 on 20 Nov 1784 (sweep 326) and noted, "S, cBM but vF at the side, a very little E; the chevelure of the milky kind." On 7 Jan 1831 (sweep 317), John Herschel noted, "pB; R; gbM; 25"." On 23 Jan 1835 (sweep 532) at the Cape of Good Hope, he called it "B, L, mE, pgmbM, 4' l, 90" br, position = 63.7°."

400/500mm - 17.5" (2/28/87): very bright, moderately large, very bright core with much fainter extensions, elongated 2:1 WSW-ENE, possibly a sharper edge along the north side. A mag 10.5 star is 3.7' E of center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb