William Herschel discovered NGC 4473 = H II-114, along with NGC 4477 and NGC 4479, on 8 Apr 1784 (sweep 187) and simply noted "F, resolvable." His position (CH's reduction) is 10 sec of RA too large.

Heinrich d'Arrest independently found NGC 4473 and 4477 on 29 Mar 1856, unaware of WH's prior discovery. JH responded in an open letter to Hind that both of d'Arrest's "novae" were seen earlier and that he was surprised d'Arrest missed NGC 4479. This caused some controversy whether NGC 4479 was a "variable" nebula.

300/350mm - 13.1" (5/14/83): bright, elongated E-W, small very bright nucleus.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/25/87): bright, fairly small, elongated 2:1 ~E-W, small but intense core, stellar nucleus. NGC 4477 lies 13' N.

600/800mm - 24" (5/29/14): bright, fairly large, elongated 2:1 E-W, 2.0'x1.0', sharply concentrated with an intensely bright core that increases to a quasi-stellar nucleus.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb