John Herschel discovered NGC 3903 = h3362 on 21 Apr 1835 and logged "pF; R or lE; gvlbM; among stars." His position (measured twice) matches ESO 378-024.

400/500mm - 18" (5/15/10): faint at 175x or fairly faint at 220x, fairly small, slightly elongated ~E-W, ~30"x25", just a broad weak concentration wit no core or zones. Situated in a E-W line of stars with a mag 14 star 50" W and a mag 12 star 2.6' E. A pair of mag 14/15 stars also lies 1.5' E.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb