William Herschel discovered NGC 4441 = H II-848 = h1278 = h1291 on 20 Mar 1790 (sweep 954) and logged "F, bM, iF, stellar." JH recorded h1278 "pF; R; vgbM; 25"." and measured an accurate position. The next night he viewed this galaxy again, but placed h1291 1 min of RA too far east and was unsure if it was new. His two h and GC designations were combined int he GC.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/15/93): fairly faint, fairly small, round, broad concentration, faint stellar nucleus. NGC 4391 lies 14' NW. NGC 4441 is thought to be an advanced galactic merger with optical tidal tails and two shells.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb