William Herschel discovered NGC 4417 = H II-155 on 15 Apr 1784 (sweep 194) and logged "F, pL, lE and lb towards the preceding side, r." CH's reduction is 3' northeast of UGC 7542.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/18/87): bright, moderately large, elongated lens-shape SW-NE, bright bulging core containing a bright stellar nucleus. NGC 4424 lies 11' SSE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb