William Herschel discovered NGC 2889 = H II-555 = h600 on 19 Mar 1786 (sweep 541) and recorded "vF; pL; R; bM." On 9 Mar 1828 (sweep 129), John Herschel logged, "pB; pL; R; vglbM; 80"." Using the 72" on 30 Jan 1856, R.J. Mitchell mentioned a very faint star at the east edge and "darkness all round the nucleus."

300/350mm - 13.1" (4/10/86): fairly small, slightly elongated ~N-S, diffuse halo, irregular bright core. A mag 11.5 star is off the south edge 1.4' from the center. NGC 2884 lies 13' WNW and NGC 2881 is 28' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb