Samuel Oppenheim discovered NGC 2981 on 27 Mar 1886 with the 12" refractor at Wien University Observatory. His micrometric position is 1.3' north of UGC 5208 (probably an error in the offset star). Dreyer credited Palisa in the NGC, but Steinicke notes that Oppenheim is mentioned in the discovery note by Weiss in 1887 (AN 2782). This galaxy is Oppenheim's only NGC discovery. The same night, though, Palisa discovered NGC 2926 and NGC 2944.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/18/98): very faint, small, round, 30" diameter, weak concentration. A mag 12 star lies 1.0' SE of center. Observation through thin clouds.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb