Édouard Stephan discovered NGC 511 = St VIII-4 on 26 Oct 1876 with the 31" silvered-glass reflector at the Marseille Observatory. His description reads "eF, diffuse, vS, S* inv, S* attached". His description and position matches UGC 936 = PGC 5103, with the two faint stars on the west side.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/17/87): very faint, very small, round. A mag 14 star is attached at the south edge 17" from center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb