Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4450 (= GC 3003 = JH 1282 = WH II 56 = WH II 90, 1860 RA 12 21 25, NPD 72 08.6) is "bright, large, round, gradually very much brighter middle like a star, mottled but not resolved, bright star to southwest". The position precesses to RA 12 28 28.9, Dec +17 04 54, well within the outline of the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size 5.4 by 4.1 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1110) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4451 (= GC 5652, d'Arrest, 1860 RA 12 21 32, NPD 79 57.8) is "pretty bright, pretty small, round, brighter middle, 13th magnitude star to south". The position precesses to RA 12 28 38.8, Dec +09 15 43, only 0.4 arcmin west northwest of the center of the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size including faint outer regions, about 1.2 by 0.8 arcmin; of bright central region, about 0.65 by 0.35 arcmin (both from the images below). Very obviously a starburst galaxy, significantly disturbed by a recent and ongoing episode of very rapid star formation. Listed as a member (VCC 1118) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4452 (= GC 3008 = WH I 23, Schönfeld, 1860 RA 12 21 38, NPD 77 28.2) is "pretty bright, small, very much extended". The position precesses to RA 12 28 43.9, Dec +11 45 19, on the eastern rim of the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Listed as a member (VCC 1125) of the Virgo Cluster. The disk of NGC 4452 looks unusually thin because we see it exactly edge-on. Most disk-shaped galaxies have relatively thin disks, but we see them at an angle, making the disk appear thicker. One unusual aspect of NGC 4452 is that its disk has relatively little dust, so its stellar contents are not obscured by dust lanes, as in a typical spiral galaxy. In addition, it has a very small central bulge, or nucleus. The nucleus is usually much thicker than the disk, but in this case it barely pokes above or below the plane of the disk. The negligible bulge of its nucleus and the lack of any dust lanes suggests that NGC 4452 might not exhibit a spiral structure even if seen from above (since such structures are outlined by the light of hot young stars recently formed from clouds of gas and dust within the spiral arms), and is therefore a lenticular galaxy, meaning a galaxy with a structure in between that of a spiral galaxy and an elliptical galaxy, which is a spheroid instead of a disk-shaped galaxy. NGC 4425's recessional velocity of 165 km/sec is too small in comparison to peculiar (non-Hubble expansion) velocities to estimate its distance; but redshift-independent distance estimates place it about 50 to 55 million light years away, on the near side of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, the nearest large cluster to us (near enough, in fact, that its gravity may eventually pull our Local Group of galaxies into the Cluster). Given that and its apparent size of about 2.2 by 0.7 arcmin (from the images below), NGC 4452 is about 35 thousand light years across.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4453 (= GC 3004 = JH 1283 = WH II 26, 1860 RA 12 21 39, NPD 82 42.8) is "faint, pretty small, brighter middle, mottled but not resolved". The position precesses to RA 12 28 46.8, Dec +06 30 43, dead center on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and the only nearby galaxy ("PGC 4328329" = SDSS J122847.68+063012.7) is too faint to have been seen by either of the Herschels, so the identification is certain.
Discovery Notes: Although the galaxy above fits the NGC, GC and JH entries, as noted by Corwin (and agreed with by Steinicke) it does not fit WH II 26, which was described by the elder Herschel as "pretty bright, pretty large, brighter toward the following side", and for which the position is completely different. So although some catalogs list William Herschel as the discoverer of NGC 4453, the observation he made on the date shown above must have been of some different object. Per Dreyer and Corwin, the best fit appears to be with NGC 4430 (which see for a discussion of the problem with WH II 26), but even that identification has serious problems. So the line for the elder Herschel's observation is shown here strictly as a warning about the essentially certain fact that he did not see NGC 4453.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 0.5 by 0.2 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1130) of the Virgo Cluster, but actually a much more distant background galaxy, as its recessional velocity and redshift are Vr = 11633 km/sec, and z = 0.038803.

Physical Information: Vr = 25300 km/sec, z = 0.084394. Not actually a companion of NGC 4453, since its recessional velocity is more than twice as large, meaning it is more than twice as far away.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4454 (= GC 3005 = JH 1284 = WH II 180, 1860 RA 12 21 40, NPD 91 10.2) is "faint, large, round, gradually brighter middle, extremely mottled but not resolved". The position precesses to RA 12 28 50.8, Dec -01 56 41, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size 2.4 by 2.3 arcmin. Listed in the de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxy Types as type (R)SAB(r)0/a.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4455 (= GC 3006 = JH 1285 = WH II 355, 1860 RA 12 21 42, NPD 66 24.4) is "faint, large, extended, gradually brighter middle, 2 bright stars to northeast". The position precesses to RA 12 28 43.5, Dec +22 49 07, within the western rim of the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Based on a recessional velocity relative to the Cosmic Microwave Background of 940 km/sec (and H₀ = 70 km/sec/Mpc), NGC 4455 is about 40 to 45 million light years away, in reasonable agreement with redshift-independent distance estimates of about 20 to 40 million light years (the HST press release uses a value of about 45 million light years). Given that and its apparent size of about 2.7 by 0.9 arcmin (from the images below), it is about 35 thousand light years across, about 2 1/2 times the size of the Large Magellanic Cloud, and probably about 15 to 20 times as massive (or about 150 to 200 billion Solar masses).

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4456 (= GC 3007 = JH 3394, 1860 RA 12 21 43, NPD 119 19.7) is "most extremely faint, very small, 13th magnitude star attached". The position precesses to RA 12 29 05.1, Dec -30 06 11, but there is nothing there. However, about 2 minutes of time due west there is a galaxy that exactly fits the description, so it appears that Herschel simply made a single-digit error in recording the position of the object, and the galaxy listed above is NGC 4456.
Discovery Note: Usually, in a situation like this, there is a comment about the error in the position in Corwin's NGC notes, but there is nothing mentioned there, so he apparently accepted the identification without thinking it worth mentioning.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 1.0 by 0.5 arcmin (from the images below).
Classification Note: At some wavelengths the nucleus of this galaxy looks like a small 'normal' nucleus, with weak spiral arms perpendicularly extending from the nucleus, then turning to the side (this aspect is why (s) is included in the classification above). However, at other wavelengths the nucleus appears to be a larger, more nearly bar-shaped structure. That's why it is shown here as type AB, meaning that it displays both normal and barred galaxy structure, but is perhaps closer to an "A" type than a "B". This sort of nit-picking is common in efforts to precisely classify galaxy structure, and in the case of some strange-looking galaxies, may involve as many as a dozen letters and symbols of various sorts. This makes it harder for those who are only used to the simplest Hubble classification (in this case, Sbc) to understand, but for those who want to know as much as possible about the appearance from only the classification, provides additional information. Finally, although thanks to many communications with Harold Corwin, who is one of the experts in this field, I feel reasonably confident about the classifications I do myself, I add a question mark to classifications based on only my own opinion; and he or Ron Buta (another expert) might well choose a slightly different classification, which could be simpler or even more complex.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4457 (= GC 3009 = JH 1286 = WH II 35, 1860 RA 12 21 50, NPD 85 39.2) is "considerably bright, pretty small, round, suddenly much brighter middle and nucleus". The position precesses to RA 12 28 58.9, Dec +03 34 19, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size 4.1 by 4.0 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1145) of the Virgo Cluster. Listed by the de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxy Types as an example of type (R)SAB(s)a.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4458 (= GC 3010 = JH 1287 = WH II 121, 1860 RA 12 21 52, NPD 75 59.0) is "pretty bright, small, round, brighter middle, western of 2", the other being NGC 4461. The position precesses to RA 12 28 57.3, Dec +13 14 31, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and the only other object in the region is accounted for by NGC 4461, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Listed as a member (VCC 1146) of the Virgo Cluster. Part of Markarian's Chain, a group of Virgo Cluster galaxies that lie along a smooth curve and have similar radial velocities. Apparent size 1.6 by 1.5 arcmin.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4459 (= GC 3012 = JH 1288 = WH I 161, 1860 RA 12 21 55, NPD 75 14.8) is "pretty bright, pretty large, irregularly round, brighter middle, mottled but not resolved, 8th magnitude star 2 arcmin to southeast". The position precesses to RA 12 29 00.0, Dec +13 58 43, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size 4.5 by 3.5 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1154) of the Virgo Cluster. Listed by the online supplement to the de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxy Types as type SA0⁺(r). The central portion of the galaxy contains a small ringlike structure full of dust lanes; the region surrounding the ring is overexposed in the SDSS images below, but the HST image clearly shows fine details within the tiny disk-shaped region (the de Vaucouleurs Atlas image shows the ring, but not its fine detail).

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4460 (= GC 3011 = JH 1289 = WH I 212 = WH II 750, 1860 RA 12 21 57, NPD 44 21.5) is "bright, pretty large, extended 123°, pretty suddenly brighter middle". The position precesses to RA 12 28 46.4, Dec +44 52 01, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size 4.2 by 1.3 arcmin.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4461 (= GC 3013 = JH 1290 = WH II 122 = WH II 174, 1860 RA 12 21 58, NPD 76 02.5) is "pretty faint, small, round, brighter middle, following (eastern) of 2", the other being NGC 4458. The position precesses to RA 12 29 03.3, Dec +13 11 01, right on the galaxy, the description fits and the only other object in the region is accounted for by NGC 4458, so the identification is certain. (See NGC 4443 for a discussion of the double listing.)
Physical Information: Listed as a member (VCC 1158) of the Virgo Cluster. Part of Markarian's Chain, a group of Virgo Cluster galaxies that lie along a smooth curve and have similar radial velocities. Apparent size 3.4 by 1.4 arcmin.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4462 (= GC 3014 = JH 3396 = WH III 764, 1860 RA 12 22 02, NPD 112 23.5) is "pretty bright, pretty small, extended 130°, suddenly brighter middle". The position precesses to RA 12 29 21.1, Dec -23 09 59, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Discovery Note: Steinicke's note about Barnard's observation needs to be explained (not in IC 1 or 2?; and too late to be in the NGC)
Physical Information: Apparent size 3.1 by 1.1 arcmin?

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4463 (= GC 3015 = JH 3395, 1860 RA 12 22 03, NPD 154 01.0) is "a cluster, poor, very little compressed". The position precesses to RA 12 29 57.5, Dec -64 47 29, near the center of the cluster listed above, the description fits and there is nothing comparable nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size 6.0 arcmin.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4464 (= GC 3018 = JH 1292 = WH III 483, 1860 RA 12 22 14, NPD 81 04.1) is "faint, very small, round, pretty gradually brighter middle". The position precesses to RA 12 29 21.1, Dec +08 09 25, practically dead center on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing comparable nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 1.0 by 0.75 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1178) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4465 (Bigourdan (list II #54), 1860 RA 12 22 19, NPD 81 12) is "very faint, very diffuse". The second IC adds "Not found on plate by Schwassmann". The position precesses to RA 12 29 26.2, Dec +08 01 31, only half an arcmin east of the galaxy, and the description fits, so the identification is certain, and Schwassmann's inability to find the object was probably due to its faintness and small size (and perhaps to its proximity to the much larger and brighter M49).
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 0.25 by 0.2 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1182) of the Virgo Cluster, but actually a much more distant background galaxy.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4466 (= GC 5653 = GC 3022, d'Arrest, 1860 RA 12 22 23, NPD 81 31.9) is "very faint, pretty small, irregularly round". The position precesses to RA 12 29 30.3, Dec +07 41 38, barely outside the southern rim of the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothins else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Discovery Note: Stoney's observation is shown in an entry for the region near GC 5653, 3020, 3021 and 3040 in the 4th Lord Rosse's 1881 paper. Aside from noting the characteristics of previously known nebulae in the region, Stoney writes "and a 3rd 12' south of 2nd (JH 1293) is extended". Brackets following this state that the object was the same as GC 5356 = "Nova d'A". Since Lord Rosse states in his paper that the greater part of the work was prepared by Dreyer, Dreyer's omission of Stoney's observation in the NGC, despite the brackets clearly identifying it as identical to d'Arrest's object, must have been an accidental oversight.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 1.45 by 0.4 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1193) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4467 (= GC 5654, Otto Struve, d'Arrest, 1860 RA 12 22 24, NPD 81 13.6) is "very faint, very small, a little extended". The second IC adds "Not found on plate by Schwassmann". The position precesses to RA 12 29 31.2, Dec +07 59 55, less than half an arcmin northeast of the galaxy, the description fits and there is nothing comparable nearby, so the identification is certain, and Schwassmann's inability to find the object was probably due to its faintness and small size (and perhaps to its proximity to the much larger and brighter M49).
Discovery Note: An earlier version of this entry listed William Herschel as the discoverer, but that turned out to be an error in one of the databases I use as a reference.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 0.35 by 0.3 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1192) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4468 (= GC 3017 = WH II 630, d'Arrest, 1860 RA 12 22 26, NPD 75 10.6) is "faint, considerably large". The position precesses to RA 12 29 30.8, Dec +14 02 56, essentially dead center on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing comparable nearby, save for the galaxy accounted for by NGC 4474, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 1.3 by 0.9 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1196) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4469 (= GC 3019 = WH II 157, d'Arrest, Stephan list XIII (#?), 18860 RA 12 22 26, NPD 80 28.0) is "pretty faint, pretty large, much extended, brighter middle, mottled but not resolved". The position precesses to RA 12 29 32.9, Dec +08 45 32, just off the northeastern rim of the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 3.9 by 1.15 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1190) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4470 (= GC 3020 = JH 1293 = WH II 18 = WH II 498, 1860 RA 12 22 31, NPD 81 24.1) is "faint, pretty large, irregularly round, brighter middle". The position precesses to RA 12 29 38.2, Dec +07 49 26, right on the galaxy, so the identification is certain (see NGC 4610 for a discussion of the double listing).
Discovery Notes: Steinicke lists this as WH II 19, not II 18; need to check Auwers'/WH's positions for II 18 & 19 to see whether that is a typo or a correction.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 1.3 by 0.9 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1205) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4471 (= GC 5655, J. Schmidt, 1860 RA 12 22 34, NPD 81 19.4) is "very faint, very small (not found by d'Arrest". The position precesses to RA 12 29 41.2, Dec +07 54 08, not quite midway between the 15th-magnitude stars listed above, but there appears to be no way to tell which is what Schmidt meant to record. There is also a 15th-magnitude galaxy (PGC 41185, which see) to the northwest of the stars that is sometimes identified as NGC 4471, but per Corwin that is almost certainly too faint for Schmidt to have seen (in visual observations stars look much brighter than "equal-brightness" nebulae, since all their light is concentrated in a single point). So odds are that NGC 4471 was one of the stars, even if there is no way to tell which one.

Historical Misidentification: As noted in the entry for NGC 4471, PGC 41185 is often misidentified as that NGC object, even though it is almost certainly too faint for Schmidt to have observed, since nebular objects look much fainter than stars to visual observers as a result of their light being spread over a larger area.
Physical Information: Based on a recessional velocity of 885 km/sec (and H₀ = 70 km/sec/Mpc), PGC 41185 is about 40 million light years away. Given that and its apparent size of about 0.22 by 0.22 arcmin (from the images below), it is about 2500 light years across, making it a dwarf elliptical, most likely on the near side of the Virgo Cluster (it is listed as a member (VCC 1203) of that Cluster).

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4472 (= GC 3021 = JH 1294 (= WH I 7), Oriani, M49, 1860 RA 12 22 40, NPD 81 13.5) is "very bright, large, round, much brighter middle, mottled but not resolved". The position precesses to RA 12 29 47.1, Dec +08 00 02, essentially dead center on the galaxy listed above and the description fits, so the identification is certain.
Discovery Notes: Although discovered by Messier, M49 was also observed by Oriani while following the path of the Comet of 1779. In 1844, Admiral William Smyth's Bedford Catalogue conflated the two observations and listed the nebula as having been discovered by Oriani in 1771. This error was copied in John Herschel's GC, and since the New General Catalog was an expansion of the GC, was also repeated in the NGC (though in a sense also giving Messier credit for the discovery, since his appellation of M49 was also used). William Herschel's probable observation of 1783 was ignored by Dreyer in compiling the NGC because Herschel's position was uncertain, and he mistook the object he observed for M61; however, in a much later and very thorough analysis of all of Herschel's unpublished observations, Dreyer concluded that (WH) I 7 must be identical to M49, hence the addition of that observation (in parentheses) to Dreyer's listing for NGC 4472.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 11.5 by 8.5 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1226) of the Virgo Cluster. Used by the de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxy Types as an example of galaxy type E⁺2. Used by the Arp Atlas as an example of an elliptical galaxy with nearby fragments.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4473 (= GC 3030 = WH II 114, d'Arrest, 1860 RA 12 22 44, NPD 75 47.8) is "pretty bright". The position precesses to RA 12 29 49.0, Dec +13 25 44, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size 4.5 by 2.5 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1231) of the Virgo Cluster. Part of Markarian's Chain, a group of Virgo Cluster galaxies that lie along a smooth curve and have similar radial velocities.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 447 (= GC 3026 = JH 1295 = WH II 117 = WH II 629, 1860 RA 12 22 49, NPD 75 09.4) is "pretty faint, round, mottled but not resolved". The position precesses to RA 12 29 53.7, Dec +14 04 08, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing nearby but the galaxy accounted for by NGC 4468, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size 2.4 by 1.6 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1242) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4475 (= GC 3027 = JH 1297 = WH III 362, 1860 RA 12 22 49, NPD 61 58.5) is "extremely faint, pretty large, round". The position precesses to RA 12 29 48.1, Dec +27 15 02, well within the northern outline of the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 1.8 by 1.1 arcmin (from the images below).

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4476 (= GC 3028 = JH 1296 = WH II 123, 1860 RA 12 22 54, NPD 76 52.7) is "faint, small, round, brighter middle, 1st of 3", the others being NGC 4478 and NGC 4486. The position precesses to RA 12 29 59.4, Dec +12 20 50, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits including the position relative to NGC 4478, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 1.45 by 1.15 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1250) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4477 (= GC 3025 = WH II 115, d'Arrest, Schultz, 1860 RA 12 22 57, NPD 75 35.4) is "pretty bright, considerably large". The position precesses to RA 12 30 01.9, Dec +13 38 09, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing comparable nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size 3.7 by 3.3 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1253) of the Virgo Cluster. Part of Markarian's Chain, a group of Virgo Cluster galaxies that lie along a smooth curve and have similar radial velocities. Used by the de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxy Types as an example of galaxy type (RL)SB0/a.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4478 (= GC 3031 = JH 1298 = WH II 124, 1860 RA 12 23 12, NPD 76 53.8) is "pretty bright, small, round, pretty suddenly brighter middle, 2nd of 3", the others being NGC 4476 and NGC 4486. The position precesses to RA 12 30 17.4, Dec +12 19 45, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits (including the position relative to the other galaxies), and the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 1.6 by 1.3 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1279) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4479 (= GC 3029 = WH II 116, d'Arrest, 1860 RA 12 23 14, NPD 75 39.0) is "pretty bright, pretty large". The position precesses to RA 12 30 18.9, Dec +13 34 33, on the southeastern rim of the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 1.35 by 1.25 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1283) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4480 (= GC 3032 = GC 3060 = JH 1299 = WH II 531, 1860 RA 12 23 18, NPD 84 58.7) is "pretty faint, pretty small, extended, brighter on southern side". The position precesses to RA 12 30 26.5, Dec +04 14 51, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size 2.2 by 1.1 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1290) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4481 (= GC 5656, d'Arrest, 1860 RA 12 23 24, NPD 25 11.5) is "pretty faint, very small, round, 13th magnitude star attached". The position precesses to RA 12 26 49.0, Dec +64 02 03, right on the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 0.75 by 0.25 arcmin (from the images below).

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4482 (= GC 3033 = WH III 40, 1860 RA 12 23 33, NPD 78 29.0) is "extremely faint, pretty large". The second IC adds "Not found by Frost, but it has been observed by Bigourdan, at RA 12 23 04". (The 30 second error in Herschel's RA was also noted by Dreyer in his study of Herschel's papers.) The corrected position precesses to RA 12 30 10.0, Dec +10 44 32, about two arcmin due south of the galaxy, but there is nothing else nearby and the description seems perfect, so the identification is considered certain. (See IC 3427 for a discussion of the double listing.)
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 1.6 by 1.0 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1261) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4483 (= GC 5657, d'Arrest, 1860 RA 12 23 36, NPD 80 12.6) is "pretty bright, pretty small, round, brighter middle". The position precesses to RA 12 30 42.6, Dec +09 00 57, just off the eastern rim of the galaxy listed above, the description fits and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 1.5 by 0.85 arcmin (from the images below). Listed as a member (VCC 1303) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4484 (= GC 3034 = JH 1300, 1860 RA 12 23 37, NPD 100 51.9) is "pretty faint, small, round, gradually brighter middle". The second IC adds "RA 2 minutes too great (per Howe). (h. only one observation)", "h." being shorthand for John Herschel. The corrected position precesses to RA 12 28 51.4, Dec -11 38 24, less than an arcmin north of the galaxy, and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification is considered certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size of about 1.45 by 1.35 arcmin (from the images below). Probably a starburst galaxy.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4485 (= GC 3041 = JH 1306 = WH I 197, d'Arrest, Rümker, 1860 RA 12 23 42, NPD 47 31.5) is "bright, pretty small, irregularly round, northwestern of 2", the other being NGC 4490. The position precesses to RA 12 30 32.3, Dec +41 42 04, well within the eastern outline of the galaxy listed above, the description fits and the presence of NGC 4490 makes the identification certain.
Usage By The Arp Atlas: NGC 4485 and 4490 are used by the Arp Atlas as an example of galaxies with connected arms, with the comment "Resolution of knots, emission regions and dust lanes only."
Physical Information: Apparent size 2.35 by 1.5 arcmin (from the images below). Interacting with NGC 4490, with which it comprises Arp 269.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4486 (= GC 3035 = JH 1301, M87, 1860 RA 12 23 44, NPD 76 50.1) is "very bright, very large, round, much brighter middle, 3rd of 3", the others being NGC 4476 and 4478. The position precesses to RA 12 30 49.2, Dec +12 23 28, essentially dead center on the galaxy listed above and the description fits, so the identification is certain.
Physical Information: Apparent size 8.3 by 6.6? arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1316) of the Virgo Cluster. Used by the de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxy Types as an example of galaxy type E⁺0-1. Used by the Arp Atlas as an example of a galaxy with a jet.

Physical Information: Apparent size 0.8 by 0.7 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1327) of the Virgo Cluster.

Physical Information: Apparent size 0.6 by 0.6 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1297) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4487 (= GC 3036 = WH II 776, 1860 RA 12 23 44, NPD 97 18.5) is "faint, very large, extremely mottled but not resolved".
Physical Information: Apparent size 4.0 by 2.8 arcmin.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4488 (= GC 3037 = JH 1302 = WH III 484, 1860 RA 12 23 45, NPD 80 51.6) is "very faint, very small, a little extended".
Physical Information: Apparent size 5.0 by 1.7 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1318) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4489 (= GC 3038 = JH 1303 = WH II 91, 1860 RA 12 23 48, NPD 72 27.9) is "pretty faint, considerably small, round, gradually brighter middle".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.7 by 1.6 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1321) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4490 (= GC 3042 = JH 1308 = WH I 198, d'Arrest, Rümker, 1860 RA 12 23 49, NPD 47 34.8) is "very bright, very large, much extended 130°, mottled but not resolved, southeastern of 2", the other being NGC 4485.
Usage By The Arp Atlas: NGC 4485 and 4490 are used by the Arp Atlas as an example of galaxies with connected arms, with the comment "Resolution of knots, emission regions and dust lanes only."
Physical Information: Apparent size 6.4 by 3.2 arcmin. Interacting with NGC 4485, with which it comprises Arp 269.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4491 (= GC 3039 = JH 1304 = WH III 41, 1860 RA 12 23 52, NPD 77 44.8) is "faint, large, round".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.6 by 0.8 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1326) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4492 (= GC 3040 = JH 1305 = WH II 499, 1860 RA 12 23 53, NPD 81 08.9) is "pretty faint, pretty large, very gradually a little brighter middle, 2 stars near". The position precesses to RA 12 30 59.9, Dec +08 04 39, right on the galaxy, so the identification is certain (see IC 3438 for a discussion of the double listing.)
Physical Information: Apparent size 2.7 by 2.6 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1330) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4493 (= GC 5658 = Marth #241, 1860 RA 12 23 57, NPD 88 37) is "very faint, very small, irregularly round". The position precesses to RA 12 31 06.9, Dec +00 36 34, on the southwestern side of the galaxy, so the identification is certain. The only question is whether the fainter galaxy to the southeast (PGC 1170468) should be considered part of the NGC object. Since the description is "irregularly round" the fainter galaxy might have affected Marth's observation, but the position is almost exactly on the brighter galaxy, and would presumably be between the two galaxies if the fainter one had a significant affect, so probably only the brighter galaxy should be considered part of NGC 4493.
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.0 by 0.8 arcmin.

Historical Identification: As noted in the Historical Identification for NGC 4493, this galaxy is sometimes listed as part of the NGC object; but for the reasons stated there, that is almost certainly not correct, so it is listed here as a separate object (and as a warning about the possible misidentification).
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.4 by 0.3 arcmin. As noted in the entry for NGC 4493 (which see for images), it is conceivable (though unlikely) that PGC 1170468 was part of what Marth observed, hence its placement here.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4494 (= GC 3043 = JH 1307 = WH I 83, 1860 RA 12 24 25, NPD 63 27.1) is "very bright, pretty large, round, very suddenly much brighter middle and nucleus".
Physical Information: Apparent size 4.8 by 3.5 arcmin. Used by the de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxy Types as an example of galaxy type E1-2.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4495 (= GC 3044 = JH 1310 = WH III 301, 1860 RA 12 24 26, NPD 60 05.1) is "pretty faint, considerably small, round, pretty suddenly a little brighter middle".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.4 by 0.8 arcmin.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4496 (= GC 3045 = JH 1309 = WH II 36, 1860 RA 12 24 30, NPD 85 17.8) is "faint, considerably large, binuclear or a double nebula." The position precesses to RA 12 31 38.5, Dec +03 55 46, within the brighter member of what appears to be an interacting pair of galaxies, so the identification is certain. Given the NGC description as a double galaxy, NGC 4496 must be considered to be the pair of galaxies, but some catalogs list only the northwestern galaxy as NGC 4496, which is historically incorrect. (Going in the opposite direction, the Third Reference Catalog of Bright Galaxies (RC3) lists three different objects as NGC 4496, which is also incorrect. For a discussion of the third object, VCC 1364, see PGC 41450)
Discovery Note: As indicated by the title for this entry, NGC 4505 (which see) is sometimes equated with NGC 4496, but that is at most half-true, due to a misinterpretation by JH of various observations by him and his father.
Note About PGC Designation: Although the individual galaxies have valid PGC designations, a search for the designation assigned by HyperLEDA for the pair returns no result, so it is shown in quotes.
Note About Standard and Non-Standard Designations: Some catalogs assign NGC 4496 to only the slightly brighter northwestern member of the pair, but most catalogs use the non-standard designations "NGC 4496A" and "NGC 4496B". Usually the use of letters with NGC/IC designations is inconsistent and should be avoided; but it appears that in this case, the northwestern galaxy is always called "A" and the southeastern one "B", so perhaps this could be considered a (more or less unique) case in which such designations are not entirely deprecated.
Physical Information: Since the two galaxies are separated by the best part of 150 million light-years (as discussed in the following entries) I decided to treat their physical properties in their individual entries; but since an image of one always includes all or part of the other one, images are placed with this entry.

Historical Identification: See NGC 4496.
Physical Information: Apparent size 3.8 by 2.8 arcmin (from the images of NGC 4496). Listed as a member (VCC 1375) of the Virgo Cluster. (Note: NGC 4496 is listed as a spiral galaxy and its apparent companion as an irregular galaxy, but in the images below it looks like this is the reverse of their appearance; so the galaxy types listed here are based on that appearance, rather than existing references. Redshift-independent distance estimates place them at the same distance, but that is probably an error caused by the use of non-standard "letter" designations; their recessional velocities are VERY different, and dust from the foreground galaxy definitely obscures part of the background galaxy, so there is no question of their merely being an optical double.)
LEDA SBcd, V 11.6; NED RIDE 9.73 - 20 Mpc, SB(rs)m, 4.0 x 3.2 arcmin, 3K Vr 2089 km/sec; Steinicke SBc

Historical Identification: See NGC 4496.
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.1 by 0.7 arcmin (from the images of NGC 4496). Listed as a member (VCC 1376) of the Virgo Cluster but actually much further away. Although an apparent companion of NGC 4496 (which see for images), their recessional velocities differ by nearly 3000 km/sec, so they are merely an optical double (but see the note at the end of the entry for NGC 4496).
LEDA SBm, B 14.5, I 12.8 -> V roughly 14; NED RIDE1 13.4 Mpc, IB(s)m:, 3K Vr 4872 km/sec, 1.33 x .74 arcmin; Steinicke IBm, NGC 4505 (probably wrong)

Historical Misidentification: As noted in this entry and the one for NGC 4496, RC3 misidentifies this galaxy as the NGC object.
Physical Information:

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4497 (= GC 3046 = WH III 42, 1860 RA 12 24 31, NPD 77 37.0) is "very faint (d'Arrest says pretty faint)". (Herschel and Schwassmann's positions are both excellent, so the identification is certain, and the double listing is due to simple oversight.)
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.9 by 0.8 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1379) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4498 (= GC 3051 (= JH 1314) = WH III 69, d'Arrest, 1860 RA 12 24 36, NPD 72 22.3) is "very faint, pretty large, extended, prehaps binuclear".
Discovery Notes: Steinicke's latest JH database lists this as JH 1314 = WH II 92 = GC 3051, with the same discovery date as for WH III 69. d'Arrest's observations list it as "(WH) III 69??"
Physical Information: Apparent size 2.9 by 1.1 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 1379) of the Virgo Cluster.

Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 4499 (= GC 3047 = JH 3397, 1860 RA 12 24 40, NPD 129 12.3) is "very faint, large, round, very gradually a little brighter middle".
Physical Information: Apparent size 2.0 by 1.3 arcmin.