John Herschel discovered NGC 6947 = h3839 on 28 Sep 1834 and recorded "vF; L; R; gbM; on a faintly stippled ground." His position is accurate.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/5/91): faint, small, irregularly round, low even surface brightness, ill-defined edges. A mag 12 star is just off the NW edge 1.3' from the center and a mag 11 star is 2.8' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb