William Herschel discovered NGC 7385 = H III-216 = h2183, along with III-217 = NGC 7386, on 18 Oct 1784 (sweep 297) and recorded both as "Two, vF, S, R, r, about 5' distant from each other. The position is that of the last or north following NGC 7386]." On 23 Nov 1785 (sweep 476) he noted "vF, pS, R, vlbM, not far south of a small star." JH made two observations and recorded on sweep 304 "pB; R; 20"; has a *11m near. The preceding of two neb. The * by diagram is 1 radius of the neb np its edge."

400/500mm - 17.5" (7/4/86): moderately bright, broadly concentrated halo, small bright core, slightly elongated ~N-S. A mag 11 star is 1.0' NW. Brightest in a group with NGC 7383 5.6' SW, NGC 7384 ~5' SSW, NGC 7386 5.8' NNE, NGC 7387 5.9' ENE, NGC 7389 5.9' ESE and NGC 7390 7.7' SE.

600/800mm - 24" (7/30/16): at 260x; moderately to fairly bright, slightly elongated SW-NE, ~1.3'x1.0', moderate concentration with a bright core that gradually increases to the center. A mag 11.5 is just off the NW edge, 1.0' from center. Brightest in a group (WBL 688, the core of ZwCl 2247.3+1107 at roughly 360 million l.y.) with 6 NGC galaxies and numerous additional fainter galaxies. Only slightly fainter NGC 7386 is 5.8' NNE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb