Johnstone and Bindon Stoney, LdR's assistants, discovered NGC 738 on 11 Oct 1850. It was labeled "Gamma" on a field diagram. An offset of 79" in PA 46° was measured from NGC 736, which matches CGCG 503-057 = PGC 7303. CGCG 503-057 is mentioned in UGC notes to NGC 736 but is not identified as NGC 738.

300/350mm - 13.1" (10/20/84): possible observation as a very faint quasi-stellar object just 1.4' NE of bright NGC 736.

400/500mm - 17.5" (11/1/86): very faint, extremely small, just non-stellar. Forms a pair with NGC 736 1.4' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb