John Herschel discovered NGC 7051 = h2113 on 30 Jul 1827 and recorded "vF; R; gbM; near a double star." There is nothing at his position and it was not found on 3 attempts at Birr Castle. On a 4th try (a bad night), a nebula was suspected near a faint double star but not confirmed. Exactly two minutes of time west of JH's position is MCG -02-54-004 = PGC 66566 and it is preceded by an unequal double star. Heinrich d'Arrest followed up at Copenhagen (based on the failure at Birr Castle) and measured an accurate position on 26 Aug 1864 and later noted the two minute discrepancy with Herschel's RA. Dreyer used d'Arrest's corrected position in the NGC.

400/500mm - 17.5" (7/1/89): moderately bright, fairly small, oval ~E-W, halo gradually increases to a small bright core containing a stellar nucleus. An extremely faint star is possibly involved at the east side. A wide double star is 2' W (mag 11/13.5 at 26").

Notes by Steve Gottlieb