Ormond Stone discovered NGC 7761 = LM 1-268 in 1886 at Leander McCormick Observatory and noted "mag 13.0; vS; R; gbM; *10 precedes 8.0'." There is nothing near his rough (nearest min of RA) position, though 2 minutes of time east is MCG -02-60-020 = PGC 72641. A mag 11 star is 7' west, matching the description, though another mag 11 star is only 3.5' west.

Guillaume Bigourdan independently found this galaxy again (Big. 356) on 30 Nov 1891 and measured an accurate position. Herbert Howe found it a third time on 1 Oct 1897, measured a very accurate micrometric position, and included it in his first discovery list. Dreyer combined Bigourdan and Howe's observations into IC 5361. So, NGC 7761 = IC 5361. See Corwin's notes for discussion.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/29/92): fairly faint, small, round, 1' diameter, very even concentration, small bright core, very symmetrical appearance. Two brighter stars mag 10 are 3.5' W and 7' WSW. Located in a field that is strangely devoid of any faint stars.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb