William Herschel discovered NGC 4626 = H II-772 = h1393 = h3410, along with NGC 4628, on 20 Mar 1789 (sweep 913) and noted "F, S, E." JH made a single observation from the Cape of the Good Hope and logged "vF; lE; glbM."

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/22/93): fairly faint, fairly small, very elongated 3:1 SW-NE. A mag 14 star is 1.5' SSE. Forms a similar pair (size, elongation and position angle) with NGC 4628 5' N but has an almost even and lower surface brightness.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb