William Herschel discovered NGC 3300 = H III-55 = h727 = h3273 on 19 Mar 1784 (sweep 177) and recorded "vS, r, lE and unequally bright. It is surrounded with brilliant stars at the same time in the field with it." His RA was 23 seconds too small. John Herschel made observations both at Slough and the Cape of Good Hope and measured an accurate position.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/18/87): moderately bright, bright core, stellar nucleus, fairly small diffuse halo slightly elongated ~N-S. Surrounded by several brighter stars including a mag 10 star 4.2' NNW, a mag 9.5 star 6.4' E and mag 8.1 SAO 99207 7.8' SSE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb