Wilhelm Tempel discovered NGC 4897 = T V-28 on 21 Apr 1882. His micrometric position in the main table matches MCG -02-33-089 = PGC 44829. The description mentions that 2' to 3' northwest is a fainter nebulous star, which Dreyer catalogued as NGC 4891. Only a mag 14 star is at the position of NGC 4891.

Shapley-Ames, RC1, RC2, RNGC, MCG, UGCA and PGC mislabel NGC 4897 as NGC 4891, but it is correctly identified in RC3. The RNGC RA is also 42 min too small. See Harold Corwin's identification notes.

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/22/93): fairly faint, fairly small, round, halo gradually brightens, faint stellar nucleus. A mag 15 star is 2' NW (= NGC 4891). Incorrectly identified as NGC 4891 in modern catalogues.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb