William Herschel discovered NGC 5740 = H II-538 = h1872 on 24 Feb 1786 (sweep 532) and recorded "pB, cL, iR." JH made the single observation "L; irreg R; gbM; r." R.J. Mitchell, observing with LdR's 72" on 10 May 1855, reported "pB, R, Nucl surrounded by faint nebulosity, which has a prolongation [arm] to np; between nucleus and tail the neby is fainter [dust]."

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/18/93): moderately bright, elongated 2:1 NNW-SSE, 1.5'x0.8', bright core, almost stellar nucleus, faint extensions. A mag 15 star is 1.5' WNW of center. Forms a pair with NGC 5738 8.2' SW and NGC 5746 lies 18' NNE. Located 31' WSW of 109 Virginis.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb