John Herschel discovered NGC 7204 = h3922 on 27 Sep 1834 and recorded "pB; L; lE; gbM; 80"." Although described as single, this is a double system with two entries in MCG (-05-52-028 and -05-52-029) although the MCG declination is 4' too far south. NGC 7204 was first recognized as a close pair in a Helwan Observatory photograph taken in 1914-16 with the 30" reflector and reported in the 1921 observations table: "a curious double nebula. The north portion is F, S, E30°, but not an ordinary spindle. The south-following portion is a slightly curved line; concave to the north, moderately bright at each end and E85°. The west end of this line is south-following the north portion by 20"."

400/500mm - 17.5" (7/22/87): faint, fairly small, round, diffuse. Faintest and last of three with NGC 7201 13.5' SSW and NGC 7203 7.0' SSW. Mag 8.2 SAO 213556 is 7.2' NNE and mag 9.6 SAO 213549 5.8' N. This is an interacting double system but was not resolved.

600/800mm - 24" (8/16/12): this strongly interacting double system appeared fairly faint, moderately large, elongated 3:2 E-W, irregular, ~1.0'x0.7'. At 280x it resolved into two galaxies. According to my notes the northwest component (MCG -05-52-008 = NGC 7204A) is more prominent with a higher surface brightness. The fainter galaxy is attached on the south side (MCG -05-52-009 NGC 7204B) and is elongated E-W, extending to the east, with the two glows barely resolved.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb