John Herschel discovered NGC 5048 = h3478, along with NGC 5051, on 30 Mar 1835 and recorded "pF; R; has another nebula nf; Delta RA = 20s +/-; Delta PD; 5' +/-." His position is just off the south side of ESO 443-087 = PGC 46179.

400/500mm - 18" (3/17/07): fairly faint, fairly small, elongated 3:2 SW-NE, 0.6'x0.4', weak even concentration to the center. NGC 5051 lies 8' NNE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb