E.E. Barnard discovered IC 5264 = Sw. XI-219 on 15 Dec 1889. He found this galaxy while measuring IC 1459 (discovered 2 nights earlier) with the 12-inch refractor at Lick Observatory. Barnard wrote in his logbook, "a small faint neb'y about 4' S and 1' p this neb IC 1459]. Small and elong in parallel nearly [~E-W]." No accurate offsets were measured, but this clearly applies to IC 5264. As this entry was not published or passed along to Dreyer, Barnard never received discovery credit.

Lewis Swift independently discovered this galaxy on 10 Jun 1896 and described Sw. XI-219 (later IC 5264) as "vF; S; eeE; a ray; sp of below st; sp of 2 [with IC 1459 = IC 5265]." His position is 0.2 min of RA too small and 3.5' too far south (same error in dec as IC 5265). Curiously, he gave the discovery date as 2 Sep 1896 in his first Lowe Observatory discovery list and 4 Sep 1897 in his third Lowe discovery list (he made a number of mistakes on discovery dates and of course positions during his last observing year). Ironically, Swift mentioned "I am glad I have at length found in Barnard's field a nebula his keen eye failed to see", though it turns out that wasn't the case!

Interestingly, earlier in March 1896 he wrote a short article in Popular Astronomy titled "The Lowe Observatory" and mentioned "Near some of Sir John Herschel’s southern nebulae I have discovered several overlooked by him, notably, one between [NGC 7418] and [NGC 7421], in field with the latter. It is very faint, very small, exceedingly elongated to a ray five times as long as broad. I am surprised at his failure to see it." There is nothing between these galaxies, but assuming he confused the identifications of the nearby galaxies his description may apply to IC 5264!

In a 1912 report on observations of nebulae made at the Helwan Observatory between 1909-1911, Harold Knox-Shaw reported - due to Swift's poor position - there was nothing at the position for IC 5264 on photos taken with the 30" reflector and reported it as new (possibly equivalent to IC 5264).

200/250mm - 8" (8/1/19): at 107x and 174x; very faint, moderately large, ghostly streak but not difficult.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/6/97): fairly faint, fairly large, edge-on 6:1 WSW-ENE, nearly 3.0'x0.5' in size. Appears as a long thin streak of nearly uniform surface brightness and slightly tapering towards the tips. Forms the fainter member of a pair with IC 1459 6' NNE.

17.5" (7/22/87): faint, moderately large, thin edge-on 5:1 WSW-ENE. A mag 14 star is off the east tip. Located 6' SSW of brighter IC 1459.

600/800mm - 24" (8/1/19): moderately bright, relatively large, thin edge-on 6:1 WSW-ENE, brighter bulging core, thin extensions. Excellent contrast in galaxy types with IC 1459 6' NE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb