William Herschel discovered NGC 4097 = H III-400 = h1080 on 1 May 1785 (sweep 405) and recorded "eF, vS, suspected, stellar; about 1 1/2' north of a small star." His position and description of the nearby star points to UGC 7092. This was the first of 42 galaxies discovered on this night. John Herschel made two observations describing it on 11 Mar 1831 (sweep 331) as, "vF; R; vsbM; has a * 10m, 45° sp, 90" dist."

400/500mm - 18" (4/5/03): fairly faint, small, round, 0.5' diameter, very small brighter core, occasional faint stellar nucleus. Located 1.6' NNE of a mag 11.4 star, close to the UMa/CVn border.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb