Wilhelm Tempel discovered NGC 3707 = T V-10b on 23 Feb 1878. He noted NGC 3704 as "Class III; a star 15m (nebulous?) follows 2 sec; near the comparison star is another fainter nebula [NGC 3707]."

Andrew Common made an independent discovery in 1880 with his 36" silvered-glass reflector (along with NGC 3704) and described "2, F, R, on the parallel, star symmetrically placed between." Common's single position (obtained roughly using his setting circles) is 13' north of the pair MCG -02-29-037 = NGC 3704 and PGC 35446 = NGC 3707. His description applies, though, as there is a mag 15 star between the two galaxies. Dreyer credits both Tempel and Common with the discovery in the NGC. Howe could only find NGC 3704 on 4 nights of searching with the 20-inch refractor at the Chamberlin Observatory in Denver.

The NGC summary descriptions (from Tempel?) for both NGC 3704 and NGC 3707 has errors. The description for NGC 3707 mentions a "*15 (neb?) 2s following", which actually describes the mag 15 star 2.8 tsec following NGC 3704. See RNGC Corrections #4.

For some reason, the RNGC ignores the second fainter galaxy of the pair and lists NGC 3707 as nonexistent.

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/29/85): extremely faint and small, round. Picked up 2.6' E of NGC 3704.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb