George Hough discovered NGC 5191 on 5 May 1883 with the 18.5-inch Clark refractor at the Dearborn Observatory. While searching or d'Arrest's comet he found this "nebula" and described it as "eF, * 9m follows 57s and 39" south."

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/27/95): faint, small, round, 30" diameter, weak concentration. Located in an unusually sparse star field. A mag 14.5 star lies 3.3' NE. A 50' string of galaxies from NGC 5174 to NGC 5177 oriented N-S is roughly 25' following.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb