William Herschel discovered NGC 5218 = H II-842 = h1636 on 19 Mar 1790 (sweep 953) and recorded "pB, pL, iF." CH's reduced position is 3' northeast of UGC 8529 (northern component of Keenan's System). JH misidentified h1636 as II-841, instead of II-842. The identifications of NGC 5216/5218 are reversed in the MCG.

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/23/98): moderately bright and large, elongated 4:3 ~E-W, 1.5'x1.2', broad concentration with a large brighter core. A mag 13.5 star lies 1.5' NE. Forms a double system with NGC 5216 4.0' S (interacting pair with streamers called Keenan's system).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb