Guillaume Bigourdan discovered NGC 76 = Big. 1 on 22 Sep 1884 with the 12" refractor at the Paris Observatory. This was Bigourdan's first discovery.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/27/87): fairly faint, fairly small, elongated ~E-W, small bright core.

600/800mm - 24" (8/31/16): fairly faint to moderately bright, fairly small, slightly elongated E-W, 30"x25", very small bright nucleus. Forms a close pair with MCG +05-01-073 1.1' E. The companion is very faint, small, round, 15" diameter, low surface brightness. A mag 15.0 star is 30" NE. Member of the NGC 68/70 Group (VV 166).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb