Herbert Couper Wilson discovered IC 5090 visually on 8 Oct 1895 while searching for Comet Faye with the 16.2-inch refractor of the Goodsell Observatory in Minnesota. He remarked, "the nebula is very faint, very small and round, with a rather sharp condensation, 12m or 13m, in the center. He measured an accurate micrometric position using the mag 7.7 star 7' S.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/8/02): fairly faint, very elongated 4:1 SSW-NNE, 1.0'x0.25', increases to a brighter core. Forms a pair with MCG +00-54-002 5.7' W. Located 7' N of mag 7.7 HD 201718.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb