R.J. Mitchell discovered NGC 3973 with LdR's 72" on 15 Mar 1855, while observing NGC 3968. He simply noted " NGC 3968] is pF, R, sbM. Nova nf." It was seen again by Dreyer on 16 Apr 1876 as "an eeF object, most probably an eS neb" at 56" separation in PA 318.6° from a mag 10 star.

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/11/02): extremely faint, very small, slightly elongated, 0.4'x0.3'. Nearly lost in the glare of mag 9.8 SAO 99868 just 45" SSE. This galaxy is the faint companion of NGC 3968 2.7' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb