E.E. Barnard discovered IC 5191, along with IC 5192 and IC 5193, on 5 Dec 1888 using the 12-inch refractor at Lick Observatory. His very accurate discovery sketch (reproduced from his notebook in AN #4136) matches UGC 11963. He called it the second brightest and largest of 6 in the group. He computed the position for the brightest member (NGC 7242), though was uncertain if it was(NGC 7242 or 7240. MCG misidentifies IC 5191 as IC 1441. UGC (11963) and CGCG (513-020) don't identify their catalogue entries as IC 5191. See Corwin's notes.

400/500mm - 17.5" (7/15/93): first of 7 in the NGC 7242 group. Very faint, small, elongated 5:2 WSW-ENE. Located near the intersection of two collinear rays of stars. A mag 11 star is 1.7' NE at the intersection point. Located 7.4' W of NGC 7242.

17.5" (7/28/92): very faint, small, very elongated 3:1 SW-NE. A mag 11 star is 1.5' NE. First in the NGC 7242 group and second brightest in a group with NGC 7240 3.5' ESE, IC 1441 3' E and NGC 7242 7' E.

600/800mm - 24" (8/13/15): first in the NGC 7242 group. At 375x appeared fairly faint, fairly small, very elongated up to 5:1 WSW-ENE, ~30"x6". Located 7.4' due west of NGC 7242 in a rich star field with a mag 11.5 star 1.6' ENE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb