William Herschel discovered NGC 4841 = H II-387 = h1493 on 11 Apr 1785 (sweep 396) and noted "F, pL." On 13 Apr 1831, John Herschel recorded "pF; double, nf, dist 20"." The fainter northeastern component (MCG +05-31-027 = PGC 44329) did not receive a NGC designation. Gerard de Vaucouleurs used the letter suffixes NGC 4841A and NGC 4841B in the 1956 "Survey of Bright Galaxies South of -35° Declination", based on Mt Stromlo plates, and again in the 1964 "Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies".

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/14/94): very close double system located 3.1' NNE of mag 9.5 SAO 82582. The SW component (NGC 4841A) is fairly faint, small, round, 35" diameter. Even concentration with a bright core and faint stellar nucleus. (NGC 4841B is in contact at the NE end (separation of 34"). It appeared faint, small, round, 30" diameter (similar size as(NGC 4841A). The surface brightness, though, is lower with only a very weak concentration and no core, although a faint stellar nucleus was visible. Member of AGC 1656.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb