William Herschel discovered NGC 703 = H III-562 = h157, along with NGC 704, 705 and 708, on 21 Sep 1786 (sweep 599) and recorded "Four, unequal, 3 in a row NGC 704, 705, 708], the 4th [NGC 703] making a rectangle with them. All in the space of 2 or 3'; the one at the angular part [NGC 708] is much larger than the others." John Herschel logged on 17 Nov 1828 (sweep 105), "vF; the np of two [with[NGC 708], dist 90" ±."

300/350mm - 13.1" (10/22/84): faint, very small, third brightest of four in the core of AGC 262.

13.1" (12/11/82): very faint, round, difficult.

400/500mm - 17.5" (9/19/87): faint, small, oval, weak concentration. A mag 15 star is at the SW end. Located in the central core of AGC 262 with NGC 708 1.8' SE, NGC 705 1.7' SSE and NGC 704 2.7' S.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb