Édouard Stephan discovered NGC 7490 = St X-39 on 11 Oct 1879. His position is an exact match with UGC 12379. Edward Holden found this galaxy again on 21 Aug 1881 with the 15.6-inch Clark refractor at the Washburn Observatory. He assumed it was new and reported it as #23 in his list of new nebulae in the Publications of the Washburn Observatory, Vol I. Both Stephan and Holden are credited with the discovery in the NGC.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/13/88): moderately bright, fairly large, round, bright core, stellar nucleus, large faint halo.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb