John Herschel discovered NGC 5717 = h1864 on 26 Apr 1830 and recorded "Not eF; R; psbM; 20"; the second of 3 [with NGC 5714 and 5722]." The next night he also logged "The second of 3 in a line (two R; one mE), south of a double star." JH incorrectly equated his discovery with H III-675, but his father discovered NGC 5714 (the edge-on).

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/27/98): faint, small, round, 0.5' diameter, weak even concentration to center. Nearly collinear with the mag 11/13 pair 4' W. NGC 5714 is 4.7' WSW and the NGC 5722 (part of a quadruple group) is 2.9' E.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb