Sherburne Wesley Burnham discovered IC 305, along with IC 304, while searching for double stars on 12 Sep 1890 with the 36-inch refractor at Lick Observatory.

600/800mm - 24" (1/1/16): at 375x; fairly faint, small, round, very small bright nucleus, compact, 15" diameter. Appears brighter (higher surface brightness) than CGCG mag of 15.7 suggests. A mag 13 star is 50" NE. Forms a close pair with IC 304 1.4' NNW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb