Ormond Stone discovered NGC 3481 = LM 2-430 in 1886 with the 26" refractor at Leander McCormick Observatory and recorded "mag 15.5, 0.3' dia, rr; prob vF Cl; *9 in PA 120° [east-southeast] at 5'." His position is 0.3 min of RA west and 2' south of MCG -01-28-016 = PGC 33097 and the description clinches the identification.

400/500mm - 18" (3/29/03): fairly faint, fairly small, round, 0.6' diameter, smooth surface brightness. Located 5' NW of mag 8.8 SAO 137930 (wide yellow/blue unequal double). Also nearby is a mag 10.7 star 2' W and a mag 11 star 3.5' N.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb