Truman Safford discovered NGC 7291 = Sf 56 = St VIII-18 on 1 Oct 1866 and recorded "pF, pS, neb MN." His position is accurate. Édouard Stephan independently discovered the galaxy on 21 Sep 1876 and measured an accurate micrometric position. Stephan was credited with the discovery in the GC Supplement and NGC due to the late publication of Safford's list.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/20/88): faint, small, almost round, small bright core. A mag 13 star is 0.9' ENE of center. Located 22'S of NGC 7290.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb