William Herschel discovered NGC 5290 = H I-170 on 18 Mar 1787 (sweep 717) and recorded "pB, E, about 2' long. A small MN nearly stellar." CH's reduced position is 2' north-northwest of UGC 8700. On 9 Apr 1787 (sweep 725) he made the 2nd observation, "cB, E nearly in the parallel."

200/250mm - 8" (5/26/84): faint, small, easily visible, elongated 3:1 almost exactly E-W. NGC 5289 is 13' S.

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/7/97): moderately bright, pretty edge-on E-W, ~3.5'x0.5'. Lens-shape with bright bulging core and extensions fade and taper at ends. Member of the NGC 5371 group.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb