Édouard Stephan discovered NGC 5709 = St XIII-79, along with NGC 5706 = St XIII-78, on 12 May 1883. His position matches UGC 9435. This galaxy was first discovered by WH nearly a 100 years earlier on 16 May 1784 and catalogued as H III-128 = NGC 5703, but the GC and NGC position is 1° too far south (clerical error). So, NGC 5703 = NGC 5709. NGC 5703 should be the primary designation because of the earlier discovery, but this galaxy is known as NGC 5709 because of the unambiguous position.

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/21/93): faint, moderately large, edge-on 4:1 WNW-ESE, 1.4'x0.3', low surface brightness, weak concentration. Forms a close pair with NGC 5706 2.1' NW.

600/800mm - 24" (6/29/16): at 375x; fairly faint to moderately bright, very elongated 3:1 WNW-ESE, ~1.2'x0.4', modest concentration with a large brighter core region. Brighter and larger of a pair with NGC 5706 2.2' NW.

Arp 241, located 13' WNW, is a close encounter of two spiral galaxies with the interaction resulting in pair of opposing tidal tails forming a "sprinkler" appearance. The two nuclei are separated by only 16" and were resolved at 375x. The brighter and larger southeast component (VV 264a) appeared fairly faint, small, round, ~15" diameter, stellar or quasi-stellar nucleus. The northwest component (VV 264b) is faint, very small, round, ~10" diameter, with a very small brighter nucleus.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb