Heinrich d'Arrest discovered NGC 4481 on 7 Oct 1866 with the 11-inch refractor at Copenhagen. His measured an accurate position on 2 nights and accurately placed the mag 13 star that follows by 7 or 8 seconds of time.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/15/93): faint, small, very elongated 4:1 NW-SE, 0.6'x0.15'. Appears as a thin sliver 40" W of a mag 13 star. NGC 4510 lies 17' NE and NGC 4481 is 20' ESE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb