Wilhelm Tempel discovered NGC 5414 on 25 Apr 1883 while observing the NGC 5416. He describes it in the narrative portion of list VI as "the sixth (new nebula in the group) is small, certainly has a stellar nucleus and a mag 10-11 star is north-following by 2 to 3'." He provided positions in paper VIII for all his discoveries in the group, except this object. The NGC position is 7' south of UGC 8942, although his description of the nearby star matches.

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/14/96): fairly faint, small, slightly elongated N-S, 0.6'x0.4', fairly high surface brightness, bright core, faint stellar nucleus at moments with direct vision. A mag 11 star is 2.0' NE. Located at the north edge of the NGC 5416 cluster (30' N of NGC 5416) and brightest in small subgroup with CGCG 074-043 6.0' SW and two extremely faint anonymous companions 1.8' NW and 2.1' N.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb