Harold Corwin

IC 4198 = NGC 4979. Javelle describes the single galaxy at this position correctly ("F, cS, R" in the IC), but then adds a footnote, "Distinct from NGC 4979," which suggests that he saw two objects here.

Since there is only one galaxy in the field, and since Javelle's position is within three arcsec of the nucleus of that, we have to conclude that his observation in fact refers to William Herschel's object. My guess is that his footnote applies to another of his "novae", and that the NGC number got confused during reduction and preparation for publication. But that is just a guess.

Dreyer first noticed the identity when he examined Wolf's ninth list of new nebulae found photographically at Heidelburg. In his brief 1912 Monthly Notices list of NGC corrections based on his edition of William Herschel's Scientific Papers, he says, "III. 346 must be = I.C. 4198, as Wolf's ninth list has only one object there (No. 105)."

― IC Notes by Harold Corwin

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