Johnstone and Bindon Stoney, LdR's assistants, discovered NGC 7389, along with NGC 7383 and 7384, on 27 Nov 1850. It is unlabeled on the diagram of the group and not very accurately placed. John Herschel apparently thought it was Delta (NGC 7387), resulting in a poor position in the GC and NGC. Dreyer measured an offset and position angle from NGC 7390 on 11 Oct 1873.

400/500mm - 17.5" (7/4/86): faint, very small, brighter core, slightly elongated. Located 5.9' ESE of NGC 7385 in a rich galaxy group. Appears similar to NGC 7387 4.2' N. Forms a close pair with NGC 7390 2.3' SSE.

600/800mm - 24" (7/30/16): at 260x; fairly faint, oval NNW-SSE, 0.7'x0.5', broad concentration, slightly brighter core gradually increases to the center. Member of the NGC 7385 Group = WBL 688 with NGC 7390 2.3' SSE, NGC 7387 4.3' N and NGC 7385 6' NW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb