Albert Marth discovered NGC 518 = m 48 on 17 Dec 1864 with Lassell's 48" on Malta and logged "F, vS, R." His position is 1' S of UGC 952 = PGC 5161.

300/350mm - 13.1" (8/24/84): very faint, small, elongated ~E-W. A mag 10 star is NE.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/17/87): faint, fairly small, very elongated ~E-W, weak concentration. A mag 14 star is off the SSW side 0.9' from center. Located 2.5' SW of a mag 10 star and 15' SSW of NGC 524 in a group.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb