William Herschel discovered NGC 4689 = H II-128 = h1431 on 12 Apr 1784 (sweep 189) and logged "L, R, bM, r." JH made 3 observations and measured an accurate (mean) position.

On 29 Apr 1851, LdR assistant Bindon Stoney recorded "vF, gbM, edges fade off. I fancied a dark space p the central portion." A few nights later he noted "F, suspected spiral."

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/14/94): fairly bright, fairly large, elongated 3:2 WNW-ENE, 3'x2', large diffuse halo, weak concentration, ill-defined brighter core, possible mottling. A pair of mag 11.5/12 stars with separation 1.2' (parallel to the major axis) are located 3.5' N. At 280x, a 1.0' core is more prominent and the outer halo become becomes difficult to view. At low power, forms the northern vertex of a triangle with 28 Comae Berenices (V = 6.6) 14' SSE and mag 8.2 SAO 100258 14' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb