Heinrich d'Arrest discovered NGC 940 = Sw. III-12 on 26 Sep 1865 with the 11-inch refractor at Copenhagen. He called it round, small with a mag 13 stellar nucleus. His position (3 measures) is accurate. Lewis Swift independently found the galaxy on 7 Nov 1885 and recorded "vF; eS; R; BM; 5239 [NGC 931] nr; v diff." NGC 952, found by Stephan in 1871, is a duplicate number.

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/23/92): moderately bright, fairly small, round, prominent small bright core, stellar nucleus, high surface brightness. NGC 931 lies 25' SW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb