William Herschel discovered NGC 4984 = H II-301 = h1536 on 8 Feb 1785 (sweep 372) and recorded "pB, pL, mbM, iR." JH made observations on two consecutive sweeps, logging on 8 May 1831, "B; R; psbM; 30"."

200/250mm - 8" (5/21/82): fairly bright, small, round, small bright nucleus.

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/22/93): bright, moderately large, round, very bright prominent core 30" diameter, embedded within large faint halo of 2.0' diameter. A mag 15 star is at the west edge. A pair of mag 12/13 stars are 2.5' NE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb