William Herschel discovered NGC 5020 = H II-129 = h1556 on 12 Apr 1784 (sweep 189) and recorded "F, pL, lbM, r, of a roundish figure." JH made three observations, first logging "F; pL; E; 30" long."

R.J. Mitchell, observing on 16 Feb 1855 at Birr Castle, recorded "S, R, pB Nucl, with (I suspect) straggling arms of F neby branching out, perhaps spiral."

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/19/01): this face-on barred spiral appears as a fairly large, round 2' glow of fairly low surface brightness. Contains a sharply defined, bright 20" core and a stellar nucleus. Located 15' SE of mag 8.4 SAO 100454.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb