John Herschel discovered NGC 5021 = h1557 on 26 Apr 1830 and recorded "pF; R; 40"; has a *12 north-following by 1 1/2'." R.S. Ball, LdR's assistant on 28 Mar 1867, noted "Possibly double, at least there seems to be two B portions to it." The SDSS image reveals either a brighter region south of the core, or a superimposed companion, which is likely Ball's second object.

400/500mm - 18" (7/1/03): fairly faint, fairly small, elongated 3:2 WSW-ENE, 0.8'x0.5', brighter along a fairly thin major axis. A mag 11 star is off the ENE tip, 1.2' from center.

18" (7/1/03): fairly faint, elongated 3:2 SW-NE, 0.9'x0.6', broad concentration. A mag 11.5 star is at the NE tip (inadvertently observed twice on the same evening).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb