Lawrence Parsons discovered NGC 399 on 7 Oct 1874 with the 72" at Birr Castle and noted a "small nebula" 464.3" (7.7') in PA 205.4° (SSW) from GC 217 = NGC 403. This offset matches UGC 712 = PGC 4096. The actual separation is 465" and the PA 204°. Bigourdan measured an accurate position.

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/23/89): faint, small, slightly elongated N-S, even concentration to bright core, substellar nucleus. NGC 403 is 7.5' NE and NGC 398 7' SSW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb