Édouard Stephan discovered NGC 4211 = St XI-18 on 30 Apr 1881. His position matches UGC 7277 = Arp 106.

400/500mm - 18" (4/5/03): faint, very small, round, 25" diameter. This is a double, interacting system (Arp 106) with a small, faint companion 0.55' SE. At 300x, the companion (VV 196b) appeared extremely faint and small (0.2' diameter) and just resolved from NGC 4211. A mag 12.4 star lies 2.8' NE. Third of three with NGC 4196 and NGC 4185 20' NW and 35' NW, respectively.

600/800mm - 24" (5/30/16): NGC 4211 is an interacting system (Arp 106) oriented NW-SE (separation 35"), with the brighter component (VV 196a) on the northwest side. At 225x it appeared fairly faint to moderately bright, round, 24" diameter, increases rapidly to a very small brighter core and stellar nucleus. The fainter southeast component (NGC 4211A = VV 196b) is faint, small, slightly elongated N-S, 15"x10", slightly concentration at the center. The tidal tail to the south was not seen. Situated 9' NW of mag 8.2 HD 106678.

UGC 7287 lies 8' SE. It appeared faint, fairly small, slightly elongated E-W, 24"x18", low even surface brightness.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb