Lewis Swift discovered IC 5020 = Sw. XI-196 on 29 Aug 1897 and logged "pF; pS; lE." His position is 10 seconds of RA east and 1.6' south of ESO 400-034 = PGC 64845.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/6/97): moderately bright, moderately large, irregularly round, gradually increases to a brighter center, 1.5' diameter. Located in a stream of stars flowing ~E-W through the 22' field and a second curving lane of stars heading south (includes a brighter mag 11 star) is close following the galaxy.

17.5" (8/3/94): fairly faint, slightly elongated ~E-W. Broad concentration with no distinct core but the nucleus appears offset to the west side giving an asymmetric appearance. A flipped "?" asterism (reversed N-S) is just following with the hook ending just east of the galaxy with a mag 14 star.

600/800mm - 24" (9/30/16): at 282x; moderately bright, fairly large, elongated 3:2 NNW-SSE, 2.0'x1.4', contains a relatively large bright core that gradually increases to the center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb