Édouard Stephan discovered NGC 812 = St VIIIb-3 on 11 Dec 1876 with the 31" reflector at the Marseille Observatory and remarked "eF, thin shape, E45, 1.5' length, bM". His position and description matches UGC 1598 = PGC 8066.

300/350mm - 13.1" (8/24/84): faint, very elongated NNW-SSE, diffuse. A mag 11 star is 1.1' SW. Located 17' NE of mag 7.4 SAO 37787.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb