William Herschel discovered NGC 4050 = H II-509 on 31 Dec 1785 (sweep 503) and logged "F, cL, iR, lbM." His re-reduced position matches MCG -03-31-016 = PGC 38049

400/500mm - 18" (3/19/04): faint, fairly large, oval 4:3 E-W, 2.0'x1.5'. Broad, weak concentration with a 15" brighter nucleus using direct vision. Located 5.8' NE of mag 8.3 HD 104656. Member of the NGC 4038/39 (Antennae) group.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb