Guillaume Bigourdan discovered NGC 4896 = Big 68 on 12 May 1885. There is nothing at his Comptes Rendus position, but 15 sec of time east and 2' north is UGC 8117 and this galaxy is assumed to be NGC 4896 in modern catalogues. There are other nearby candidates including brighter NGC 4895 6.4' due south of his position.

400/500mm - 18" (6/4/05): faint, small, round, 30" diameter. Weak, even concentration to a very faint stellar nucleus. Located just north of the core of AGC 1656 with CGCG 160-089 3.0' ESE and MCG +05-31-095 4.8' ENE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb