Francis Leavenworth discovered NGC 837 = LM 2-326 in 1886 and reported "mag 15.5, 0.8' dia, vE 0°, *10 1' N." There is nothing at his position, but 1.1 min of RA east is ESO 478-010 = PGC 8297 and his description is an exact match with this galaxy. Herbert Howe measured an accurate position in 1899-00 using the 20" refractor at Chamberlin Observatory (repeated in the IC 2 notes).

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/8/94): very faint, small, elongated 5:3 N-S, 0.5'x0.3', no concentration. A mag 12 star is 1.1' N. Forms a pair with NGC 849 6.6' NNW. NGC 836 lies 23' N.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb