William Herschel discovered NGC 4608 = H II-69 = h1383 on 15 Mar 1784 (sweep 174) and recorded "A nebula. It may be taken into the field with 30 (Rho) Virginis and precedes that star, but is 8' more south." The actual difference in Dec is less than 5', but the identification is certain. JH called it "pB; R; psbM; has a *12 1' np, and a *5.6 in field nf."

300/350mm - 13.1" (4/16/83): bright, fairly small, slightly elongated.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/18/87): bright, fairly small, oval SW-NE, very bright core, stellar nucleus. A mag 12 star is 1.6' WNW of center. Forms a wide pair at low power with NGC 4596 19' W. Located 11' SW of Rho Virginis (V = 4.9).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb