Bindon Stoney, LdR's assistant, discovered NGC 709 on 28 Oct 1850. He recorded "4' or 5' nnf of group [NGC 703/704/705/708] is another nebula, perhaps two." Dreyer independently found it on 18 Nov 1876 and recorded "Nova [=5195] nf h 157 [NGC 703]., Pos 35.1, Dist. 210.5", vF, pS, it has a *11 m in Pos 297, Dist 110.3", *12-13m about same distance sf, the 2 st and neb being almost in a line." The offset and description of nearby stars matches CGCG 522-040 = PGC 6969. Dreyer was credited with the discovery in the NGC.

400/500mm - 17.5" (9/19/87): very faint, very small, elongated NW-SE. Located almost at midpoint of a mag 12 star 1.9' SE and a mag 10 star 2.0' NW. Located just north of the central core of AGC 262 with NGC 708 4.3' SSW and NGC 703 3.8' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb