William Herschel discovered NGC 818 = H II-604 = h194 on 18 Oct 1786 (sweep 618) and logged "pB, cL, lE, mbM". George Stoney, using the 72" Leviathan on 3 Oct 1850, recorded "bM, some stars seen in it; night hazy." The NGC position is 1' south of UGC 1633 = PGC 8185.

400/500mm - 17.5" (11/14/87): moderately bright, moderately large, elongated WNW-ESE, broad concentration, no core. A mag 15 star is 30" E.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb