Lewis Swift discovered NGC 5304 = Sw. I-25 on 10 Apr 1885 and recorded "vvF; pS; lE; vF * f; p diff." His position is 18 sec of RA too far west and 1.5' too far north. Herbert Howe measured an accurate position with the 20-inch refractor at Denver around 1900.

400/500mm - 17.5" (3/12/88): faint, small, oval NW-SE, weak concentration. An equilateral triangle consisting of mag 14 stars is off the south side with components 44" S, 1.7' SSW and 2.2' SSE of center. Member of the IC 4329 cluster (AGC 3574).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb