Lewis Swift found NGC 5503 = Sw. I-30 on 11 May 1886 and recorded "eeeF; vS; R; ee dif; forms with 2 stars a right angle triangle." This was a reobservation of NGC 5502 = Sw. I-29 which was found two days earlier by his son Edward! This is a unique case where a father and son both have entries in the NGC for the same galaxy. RNGC identifies this galaxy as NGC 5503 though by historical precedence, NGC 5502 should apply. See notes for NGC 5502.

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/23/01): extremely faint and small, round, 10" diameter. Requires averted vision to glimpse and only visible intermittently. Located just 1.3' NE of a mag 12 star and 2' NW of a mag 11 star.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb