William Herschel discovered NGC 7743 = H II-256 = h2265 on 18 Oct 1784 (sweep 297) and logged "R, like the foregoing [NGC 7742], but rather fainter." His position matches UGC 12759. JH observed this galaxy on 3 sweeps and noted (sweep 305) "pB; R; psbM; 15"; has a * 15m, dist 1'; pos = 153.8° by micrometer." Samuel Hunter, LdR's assistant on 10 Sep 1860, commented "Is it connected with the * sf by a branch from the north side of neb?" This branch is a spiral arm that extends south towards the star on the east side of the galaxy.

200/250mm - 8" (8/17/82): faint, elongated, small bright nucleus, faint halo with averted. A mag 13 star is off the SE edge.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/28/89): moderately bright, fairly large, slightly elongated NW-SE, prominent core, stellar nucleus. A mag 13 star is at the southeast edge 1.0' from center. A mag 10 star is 2.8' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb