E.E. Barnard discovered IC 5351, along with IC 5352, 5356, 5367 and 5369, on 28 Oct 1889 and noted "pF, pS, gbM". This group (best known as HCG 97) was discovered while observing Brooks Comet (1889V) with the 36-inch Clark refractor at Lick Observatory. His sketch in AN 4136 clearly identifies all members in the group.

Hickson failed to label his HCG 97E as IC 5351 and the PGC, HyperLEDA and SIMBAD only identify IC 5352 as HCG 97E. NED correctly labels this galaxy as IC 5351.

600/800mm - 24" (9/28/19): at 322x; between extremely faint and very faint, very small, round, 10"-12" diameter. I was unable to hold the faintest (and smallest) member of the HCG 97 quintet but it was not a threshold object. Situated 1.5' NW of IC 5357 (brightest in the group).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb