William Herschel discovered NGC 7742 = H II-255 = h2264 on 18 Oct 1784 (sweep 297) and recorded "pB, pS, R, bM, r." CH's reduced position is 11 sec of RA west of UGC 12760. He found the galaxy again on 23 Nov 1785 (sweep 477) and noted "pB, R, gbM." JH observed this galaxy on 5 sweeps and logged (sweep 14), "B; R; gmbM; 60"; has a small * one diameter following."

200/250mm - 8" (8/17/82): faint, small, round, small bright nucleus. A mag 12 star is very close east. NGC 7743 lies 50' S.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/28/89): moderately bright, moderately large, round, bright core. A mag 12 star is 1.1' ESE of center (outside halo).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb