William Herschel discovered NGC 5033 = H I-97 = h1564 on 1 May 1785 (sweep 405) and recorded "vB, pL, E, mbM and the brightness diminishing gradually; the extension not far from the meridian [N-S]."

Bindon Stoney, LdR's assistant on 1 Mar 1851, noted "an appendage [arm] preceding." The arm was mentioned again on 19 Apr 1862: "The patch p[receding] is vF, yet distinctly seen as far as in sketch, but I suspect it joins n end of neb." R.J. Mitchell, observing on 3 May 1858, noted "I also think I see a neb knot sf, in the direction of major axis of neb, but was interrupted by clouds." This "knot" is mostly likely the HII complex NGC 5033:[EKS96] 229, situated 2.4' south of center.

400/500mm - 17.5" fairly bright, fairly large, very elongated 3:1 N-S, small very bright core, stellar nucleus. A mag 15 star is superimposed. Brightest in a group with NGC 5005 40' NW (physical pair).

600/800mm - 24" (5/22/17 and 5/27/17): at 124x and 282x; very bright and large impressive spiral, elongated 5:2 N-S, ~7'x2.8'. Sharply concentrated with a very bright, very elongated core region and an enhanced central axis or bar that increases to a sharp, intense nucleus. There is a strong impression of spiral structure in the halo with slightly brighter and darker regions. A very weak enhancement or HII region is 2.4' due south of center with an hint of an arm segment curving through this patch. An extremely faint, nearly stellar knot (only identified with a DSS image) is 1.3' W of center just northwest of a dim mag 15.7 star in the halo. A brighter mag 14.5 star is superimposed 1.4' NNW of center.

900/1200mm - 48" (4/20/17): at 488x; very bright, very large, elongated 5:2 N-S, some spiral structure is evident. Very well concentrated with an extremely bright, elongated core roughly 1'x0.5'. A low surface brightness spiral arm extends from the core on the north side and hooks sharply south on the west side of the halo. It brightens and appears to end just west of a superimposed mag 14.5 star, situated 1.3' NNW of center. A detached section of this arm was also seen due west of the core, just west of a superimposed mag 15.7 star [0.9' WSW of center].

Although arm structure was not distinguishable on the south side, a brighter knot was visible (at the sharp bend of an arm) 2.4' due S of center. It was roughly 15" in diameter and aligned with the major axis of the core. This HII complex is listed in NED as NGC 5033:[EKS96] 229, from the 1996 "An Atlas of H II Regions in Nearby Seyfert Galaxies" by Evans et al.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb