Here are my notes on UGC 7411, the galaxy identified as NGC 4301 in the MCG, PGC and RC3:

Fairly faint, moderately large, very elongated 3:1 NW-SE, broad weak concentration. Located 19' NNW of M61.

George Johnstone Stoney or Bindon Stoney discovered NGC 4301 on 21 Apr 1851. While observing the field of M61 he noted, "Another neb 10' nf." This could be interpreted as 10' NE of M61 or 10' NE of NGC 4292, but UGC 7439 (= NGC4303A ) is 10' NE of M61, which suggests NGC 4301 = UGC 7439.

Heinrich d'Arrest and Herman Schultz were unable to find NGC 4301 at the GC position. Because of this, Dreyer assumed Stoney's object was 10' northeast of NGC 4292 (the other object grouped together) and modified the position of NGC 4301 in the NGC. As a result, UGC 7411 (located 12' NNE of NGC 4292) assumed to be new when it was found on plates taken by Keeler with the Crossley reflector in 1898-1900 and catalogued in the 1908 list of new nebulae (Publ Lick Obs, Vol VIII). UGC 7411 was misidentified as NGC 4301 in the MCG, PGC, RC3, NGC 2000.0 and RNGC. UGC identified UGC 7439 as NGC 4301. Malcolm Thomson investigated the identifications (WSQJ 10/92) and Harold Corwin has a very thorough analysis in his NGC/IC notes.

300/350mm - 13.1" (2/23/85): faint, fairly small, diffuse, roundish.

13.1" (5/26/84): very faint, small, diffuse, slightly elongated, no concentration.

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/28/87): fairly faint, fairly small, almost round, fairly even surface brightness. Located 10' NE of M61. NGC 4292 lies 11' NW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb