William Herschel discovered NGC 3041 = H II-98 = h3196 on 23 Mar 1784 (sweep 184) and recorded "L, not vF, resolvable, R, not much bM. North following the most south of 2 bright stars and not far from it; the nebulosity reaches up the bright star." Interestingly, JH called this galaxy a globular cluster and noted "F; L; R; vglbm; 2.5' dia; resolved with left eye." Dreyer noted it was not a globular in 1876 observation at Birr Castle.

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/29/89): fairly faint, large, diffuse, slightly elongated. A mag 13 is just off the SW end 1.5' from the center and two mag 14.5 stars are at the NW edge 1.2' from center and at the north edge 1' from the center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb