John Herschel discovered NGC 4729 = h3430, along with NGC 4730 = h3431, on 8 Jun 1834. He gave only a single approximate position (nearest minute of RA and nearest minute of dec, both marked as +/-), although he mentions in his observation of NGC 4744 on the same sweep that this pair was to its southwest. ESO 323-016 and ESO 323-017 are 5' and 8' southeast of JH's rough position, and these are the two brightest galaxies southwest of NGC 4744. Harold Corwin mentions that Ron Buta and Andris Lauberts first suggested NGC 4729 = ESO 323-016 and NGC 4730 = ESO 323-017 and these identifications are used in the ESO.

Helwan Observatory reported "No nebula here", based on photos taken with the 30" Reynolds reflector in 1919-20 but listed ESO 323-016 as a new nebula with description "pF, S, globular nebula." MCG does not label its two entries as NGC 4729 and 4730. RNGC misidentifies ESO 323-008 as NGC 4729. See Corwin's identificiation notes for the full story.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/7/89): very faint, small, oval NW-SE. A mag 13 star is 1.0' N. Forms a close pair with NGC 4730 2.8' ESE. Located within the Centaurus Cluster (AGC 3526). Misidentified in the RNGC as ESO 323-008.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb