Heinrich d'Arrest discovered NGC 829, along with NGC 830, on 23 Sep 1865 with the 11-inch refractor at Copenhagen. He noted a mag 11 star was 0.7' distant and his position (measured on two nights) is accurate.

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/23/92): fairly faint, fairly small, elongated 5:3 WSW-ENE. A mag 11 star is 0.9' SE. First of three and similar shape as NGC 830 4.5' ENE but only a weak concentration. NGC 842 lies 16' E.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb