William Herschel discovered NGC 2838 = H III-627 = h583 on 18 Mar 1787 (sweep 716) and logged "vF, vS, stellar, 300 power." Caroline's reduced position is 2' SSW of CGCG 209-055 = PGC 26434. John Herschel made a single observation on 18 Mar 1831 (sweep 335).

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/12/94): fairly faint, very small, round, 30" diameter, even concentration down to small bright core and occasional stellar nucleus. Forms the southern vertex of an acute triangle with two mag 14 stars 50" N and 63" NNE. Also located almost at midpoint of a mag 10.5 star 3.2' NE and a mag 11.5 star 2.8' SW. UGC 4950 is at the edge of the 220x field 11' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb