John Herschel discovered NGC 4959 = h1528 on 29 Apr 1827 and recorded "eF; S; R." His position matches CGCG 189-018 = PGC 45301.
400/500mm - 18" (6/4/05): faint, very small, round, 0.4' diameter. Contains a faint stellar nucleus with direct vision in good seeing.
Notes by Steve Gottlieb