Lewis Swift found IC 847 = Sw. IX-36 on 11 May 1890 and recorded "vF; S; R; bet 2 star. His position matches NGC 4973 and the two stars are 2.6' W and 2' SE. So, NGC 4973 = IC 847. Herbert Howe found NGC 4973 again on 29 Jun 1900 and included it in his 3rd list of new nebulae (#19), assuming NGC 4973 and 4974 were further east. He stated in his notes that 3-19 was near IC 847, so Corwin concludes Howe probably misidentified NGC 4974 as IC 847.

400/500mm - 18" (6/27/03): faint, small, slightly elongated, 25"x20", weak concentration to a slightly brighter core and a ver faint stellar nucleus. In a small, rich group with MCG +09-21-101 4.7' WSW and NGC 4974 3.8' SE Located 2.6' E of a mag 11 star. A mag 13 star lies 2' SE midway between NGC 4973 and NGC 4974.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb