Heinrich d'Arrest discovered NGC 776 on 2 Dec 1861 with the 11-inch refractor at Copenhagen and logged "vF, S, R". His single position matches UGC 1471 = PGC 7560.

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/8/90): fairly faint, small, round, broad concentration, very faint stellar nucleus, halo fades into background. A mag 15 star is 30" N. Brightest of three with IC 180 2.6' SE and IC 181 2.0' NE. IC 180 appeared very faint, small, elongated 2:1 NW-SE and IC 181 is extremely faint and small, round.

600/800mm - 24" (12/12/17): at 375x; moderately bright and large, round, very small bright core in a diffuse 1' halo. A mag 15.5-16 star is at the north edge. Two small companions are close; IC 181 is 2.0' NE and IC 180 is 2.7' SSE.

CGCG 482-041 = V Zw 162, located 7.6' NNE, appeared fairly faint, round, 25" diameter. Occasionally a slightly brighter core region elongated SW-NE was seen. A mag 14.9 star is 1.2' SSW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb