John Herschel discovered NGC 5010 = h1548 on 9 May 1831 and recorded "vF; R: bM; a * 10m 45° np, distance 5'." His position is 10 sec of RA too far west and the star is 45° north-preceding.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/13/96): faint, fairly small , elongated 2:1 WNW-ESE, 1.2'x0.6', fairly even surface brightness. Contains a bulging core with thinner extensions. A mag 14 star is 1.4' N of center. Located 5' NE of mag 9.5 SAO 157790.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb