William Herschel discovered NGC 3338 = H II-77 = h737 on 19 Mar 1784 (sweep 177) and recorded "a considerable, pB, E, resolvable nebula, brightest about the middle." On 23 Mar 1830 (sweep 242), John Herschel logged, "F; E; pL; vgbM; follows a * 7m 10s."

R.J. Mitchell, Lord Rosse's assistant on 22 Mar 1854, noted "B Nucl, R, about 2' dia, light irr, has a second minute Nucl preceding the L one? Spiral?" There is no second nucleus, but he was correct about the spiral structure.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/18/87): fairly bright, fairly large, broad concentration to an elongated brighter core with a brighter nucleus embedded, hints of internal structure. The fainter outer halo is elongated 3:2 E-W in the direction of mag 8.7 SAO 99253 which lies 2.7' W of center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb