John Herschel discovered NGC 7152 = h3897 on 18 Aug 1835 and recorded "eeF; vS; 10"; barely perceptible; sky perfectly clear." His position is accurate, though Dreyer notes in the NGC description that "Lassell not found." Herbert Howe, observing with the 20" refractor in Denver in 1898-99, wrote (in his compilation of NGC/IC observations) "According to the NGC, Lassell did not succeed in finding this. It is a small, exceedingly faint and diffuse stain on the sky."

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/27/92): very faint, small, elongated 3:2 N-S. A mag 14 star is at the SW end 34" from center and a mag 14.5 star is just off the SE end. A pair of mag 12-13 stars lie 3.5' N. NGC 7153 is 15' NNE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb