Checking at home I found this was a double system (NGC 4922A = southern member,(NGC 4922B = northern member) in a common halo with the brighter component on the south end so the visual description is fairly accurate.

Heinrich d'Arrest discovered(NGC 4922 on 19 Apr 1865 with the 11-inch refractor at Copenhagen and noted the mag 11-12 star that follows by 6 sec of RA. His mean position (3 observations) is accurate. The northern component of this double system is listed in NED as(NGC 4922 NED02 and PGC 86794 in HyperLeda. The position given here is on the SW component of this double system.

Sue French found that Lawrence Parsons, the 4th Earl of Rosse, probably independently discovered this galaxy just 5 days later, while looking for NGC 4912. His field sketch does not match NGC 4912, but a quartet of galaxies 8° further south, including(NGC 4922, IC 843, IC 4088 and CGCG 160-107. NGC 4912 (labeled delta) matches(NGC 4922. See NGC 4912 for more.

400/500mm - 18" (4/30/11): fairly faint to moderately bright, fairly small, elongated 3:2 N-S, ~50"x30", irregular shape, small bright core. After careful viewing this interacting system consists of a brighter component on the south side, perhaps 30" diameter that is punctuated by a bright core. A very faint low surface brightness glow (PGC 86794) is attached on the north side, extending perhaps 20". A string of stars extends to the southeast with a mag 12 star 1.4' ESE. NGC 4916 (see identification notes) lies 9' SE

18" (3/30/05): fairly faint, fairly small, elongated 3:2 ~N-S, 0.7'x0.4'. On sustained viewing, what appears to be the core or a compact galaxy, ~0.3' diameter, is on the SSW end. A much lower surface brightness glow extends to the NNE, mimicking the appearance of a tiny comet. Member of AGC 1656 (Coma Galaxy Cluster). A mag 12 star lies 1.4' E.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb