Édouard Stephan discovered NGC 38 = St XII-3 on 25 Oct 1881 with the 31" reflector at the Marseille Observatory and described as "F; S; R; bM; bright stellar nucleus." His position matches MCG -01-01-047 = PGC 818.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/20/88): fairly faint, small, almost round, small bright core, faint stellar nucleus. A mag 11 star is 1.4' WNW a mag 12 star 2.6' ENE of center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb