William Herschel discovered NGC 4878 = H III-758, along with NGC 4879, on 23 Mar 1789 (sweep 916) and recorded "Two, both vF, vS." His single position is 7 sec of RA west of MCG -01-33-064. Harold Corwin suggests NGC 4879 may be a star about 1.5' east-southeast of the galaxy. MCG identifies NGC 4878 as a double galaxy (with -064a) but Corwin says this is a plate defect on the POSS1. Karl Reinmuth identifies a star northeast of the galaxy as NGC 4878 and the galaxy, itself, as NGC 4879. See Corwin's NGC identification notes for more.

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/22/93): fairly faint, small, round, prominent core, almost stellar nucleus, small halo. Forms a close pair with NGC 4888 4.3' ENE.

900/1200mm - 48" (4/2/11): this bright galaxy forms a prominent pair with NGC 4888, which is located 4.3' NE. Fairly large, elongated 4:3 ~N-S, 1.2'x1.0'. Sharply concentrated with a slightly elongated very bright core. A mag 12 star is 2' NW and a bright double star just west of NGC 4888 lies 3.5' NE. NGC 4879 may be a mag 14.5-15 star 1.4' ESE. The DSS shows a weak ring structure in the halo but I didn't see this feature.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb