Lawrence Parsons discovered NGC 5348, along with NGC 5338, on 3 May 1877, while making an observation of NGC 5356. He noted "a third neb is about 10' p" and 5' +/- s, it is vF, mE ns, with a * 13m nf and a small group of faint stars 6' +/- s, it is fainter than NGC 5356]." This thin edge-on is 13.5' SW of NGC 5356. In the same observation he discovered NGC 5338 "about 20' p [of N5356] and 5' or 6' s[outh] is another, E p f, about 4' f a D*".

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/28/90): very faint, moderately large, edge-on 5:1 N-S, low even surface brightness. A mag 14.5 star is 1.5' NE of center. Second of 7 in the NGC 5363 group with NGC 5356 14' NE and NGC 5338 13' W.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb