William Herschel discovered NGC 873 = H II-474 = h209 = h2471 on 27 Nov 1785 (sweep 478) and logged "pB, pL, lE, brightest in the middle." John Herschel observed this galaxy twice at Slough and three times at the Cape of Good Hope.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/8/94): fairly faint, fairly small, round, 1.2' diameter, broad concentration with no distinct core. A mag 11 star is 3.6' SW of center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb