Edward Holden discovered NGC 5038 on 28 May 1881 with the 15.6-inch Clark refractor at the Washburn Observatory. He recorded "cB, E 90° +/-, stellar nucleus. Follows Lalande 24460 4min 28sec and is 3' north." His position is accurate.

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/22/93): fairly faint, edge-on 4:1 E-W, 0.9'x0.2', very small bright core. A mag 11 star is 4.3' SSW. Located roughly 30' N of the center of the NGC 5044 group.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb