Lewis Swift discovered NGC 4446 = Sw. VI-43, along with NGC 4447 close southeast, on 17 Apr 1887 and recorded "eeF; pS; R; ee difficult; Double; triplicity suspected; 2 = mag stars range with it n and s; [NGC 4459] in field following." His position is 10 sec of RA following and 1' north of UGC 7586. This galaxy is single, though forms a pair with NGC 4447, so his comment "triplicity suspected" is not valid.

400/500mm - 18" (4/5/03): very faint, very small, elongated 3:2 E-W, 0.6'x0.4'. Forms a similar pair with NGC 4447 1.6' ESE. Two mag 12.5/13 stars are 2' and 3' N of the pair. Located 7' WSW of a mag 9.6 star and 13' WSW of NGC 4459.

600/800mm - 24" (5/29/14): faint, very small, slightly elongated E-W, 0.5'x0.4', low even surface brightness. Fainter of a pair(lower surface brightness) with NGC 4447 1.6' SE. Located 13' WSW of NGC 4459.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb