William Herschel discovered NGC 5422 = H I-230 = h1736 on 14 Apr 1789 (sweep 921) and recorded "pB, S, E, cB N with F branches from sp to nf." His position matches UGC 8935. JH made two observations, logging on sweep 347 "pB; mE; vsbM; 50" l."

200/250mm - 8" (4/24/82): faint, small, edge-on streak N-S.

300/350mm - 13.1" (5/26/84): moderately bright, fairly small, very elongated, brighter core. A mag 11 star lies 2.3' E and two slightly fainter stars are about 5' S. Located 50' NNW of M101 and 40' NW of NGC 5473. Member of the NGC 5485 group.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb