John Herschel discovered NGC 491 = h2407 on 25 Sep 1834 and reported "B, vlE, pgmbM, near a vS star." His mean position (2 observations) and description matches ESO 352-053 = PGC 4914.

200/250mm - 8" (1/1/84): extremely faint, round, very small, threshold object. A mag 13.5 star is off the west edge.

400/500mm - 17.5" (11/6/93): fairly faint, fairly small, elongated 3:2 E-W, slightly brighter along major axis. A mag 13.5 star is off the west edge 50" WSW of core.

ESO 352-041, situated 27' WSW, appeared fairly faint, very small, round, fairly high surface brightness. Forms the SW vertex of a triangle with two mag 10.8 stars 2.5' NNE and 3.2' ESE.

600/800mm - 24" (11/21/19): at 322x; fairly bright, moderately large, elongated 4:3 E-W, 48"x35", strong concentration with a small very bright core. The surface brightness is irregular, suggesting a face-on spiral. A mag 13.5 star is less than 1' SW of center.

ESO 352-057, 12' SE, was faint, elongated 2:1 or 3:1 ~N-S, 20"x8" (probably the core region of this edge-on). A mag 13 star is 40" E and a mag 10.2 star is 2.5' E.

NGC 491A, 18' NW, was extremely faint, small patch, very low surface brightness. Easier at 200x; very faint, fairly small, slightly elongated, 35"x25" (core region).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb