John Herschel discovered NGC 862 = h2470 on 5 Sep 1834 and logged "pF, vS, svmbM, like a blurred star." On a second sweep he noted "F, R, gbM, 30"." His mean position matches ESO 298-020 = PGC 8487.

600/800mm - 25" (10/16/17 - OzSky): at 244x and 397x; fairly faint to moderately bright, round, 0.5'-0.6' diameter, sharply concentrated with a very small bright nucleus. A mag 16 star is just off the west side [30" W of center]. Located 8' WNW of a mag 10.3 star.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb