William Herschel discovered NGC 3107 = H II-898 on 22 Mar 1794 (not in CH's fair copy of the sweep records) while observing Uranus, which was used as a reference star. His description in his 3rd catalogue reads "By coarse estimation. F. 3' north of a pL red star. This nebula was seen at 8h 49m, sidereal time, the telescope being out of the meridian [observing Uranus]."

Three observations were made at Birr Castle. The RA is very close in the GC to UGC 5425 (6 tsec too far west), although the dec is ~7' too far south. In the 17 Mar 1876 observation at Birr Castle, the position is discussed and it states the RA is 54 sec too large in the GC (due to a misidentification of a red star close south of the galaxy). So, Dreyer's position in the NGC is 48 tsec too far east!

UGC, CGCG and MCG do not label their entries as NGC 3107. See Corwin's notes for a complete discussion.

400/500mm - 17.5" (1/23/88): moderately bright, fairly small, slightly elongated NW-SE. Located 1.8' NW of mag 8.1 SAO 98932.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb