Brightest in close trio with CGCG 38-37 2.7' N and CGCG 38-35 2.4' WSW. CGCG 38-37 appeared extremely faint and small, round, required averted to glimpse. Located 2.7' N of NGC 3434 and 1.5' N of a mag 14 star.

William Herschel discovered NGC 3434 = H III-497 = h784 on 27 Jan 1786 (sweep 513) and recorded "cF, S, R, vlbM." On 9 Apr 1828 (sweep 142), John Herschel logged "pB; R; vglbM; 30"."

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/25/00): fairly faint, fairly small, elongated 4:3 N-S, ~1.3'x1.0'. Located 4.6' NW of mag 9 SAO 118551. Contains a large, brighter, elongated core with a much fainter outer halo which grows with averted vision. A mag 14 star lies 1.3' NNE of center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb