William Herschel discovered NGC 5394 = H I-191 = h1722, along with NGC 5395, on 16 May 1787 (sweep 738) and recorded "Two, that of the south NGC 5395] cB, cL. That to the north [NGC 5394], pB, S. Distance about 1.5'." John Herschel called NGC 5394 the "smaller and np of 2 which nearly join, constituting a double nebula."

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/6/86): this is the fainter northern member of a contact system with brighter NGC 5395 connected at the south tip (2.0' between centers)! Fairly faint, very small, round, brighter core.

900/1200mm - 48" (4/1/11): bright, fairly small, slightly elongated SW-NE, 30"x24", sharply concentrated with a bright, stellar nucleus. A faint arm is visible attached at the SW end that hooks SE towards the NW side of NGC 5995. A fainter arm, which was only visible intermittently, is attached at the NE end and hooks NW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb