Frank Muller discovered NGC 874 = LM 2-329 in 1886 with the 26" Leander McCormick refractor and reported "mag 15.5 (nucleus), 0.3'x0.1' in PA 170° and possibly a double star." Additionally, he noted a mag 10 star is 2.8' in PA 320° (NW). His position is 8' N of ESO 478-018 = PGC 8663. This galaxy has a PA of 173°, which is an excellent match though the nearby star is 2.9' NE (not NW). ESO and RC3 correctly identify NGC 874 = ESO 478-018. Sherburne Burnham (Publ of Lick Observatory, II) could not find NGC 874 "in or near this place" and Dreyer repeated this in the IC I notes. This is probably the reason RNGC misclassifies NGC 874 as nonexistent and MCG does not label MCG -04-06-019 as NGC 874. See Corwin's NGC identifications for more on this number.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/25/97): threshold object barely glimpsed on a couple of occasions. Could not verify the observation with certainty although the exact spot was examined using a GSC chart. Located 3' SSW of a mag 11 star. This galaxy is incorrectly listed as nonexistent in RNGC and is not plotted on U2000.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb