Lewis Swift discovered NGC 5782 = Sw. VI-70 on 19 Apr 1887 and recorded "eF, vS, E, * nr sf". There is nothing near his position, but 20 sec of RA further east and 9' north is UGC 9602. Although this is a relatively large error for Swift, there is a star 45" southeast, matching Swift's description. Bigourdan caught Swift's error and measured an accurate position on 31 May 1894.

If this identification is correct, then the RNGC, CGCG, MCG and PGC misidentify CGCG 076-094 = PGC 53322 as NGC 5782. This galaxy (visually fainter than UGC 9602) was probably selected as it differs only in RA from Swift's original position. This assignment, though, ignores Bigourdan's correction and fails to match Swift's comment about a star southeast. I mentioned this error in RNGC Corrections #6. See Corwin's identification notes (he concurs with my identification).

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/3/00): fairly faint, small, round, 0.5' diameter, mild even concentration to center. Forms a close pair with MCG +02-38-023 just 52" NNE of center. The RNGC, CGCG, MCG, PGC and NED misidentify NGC 5782 = MCG +2-38-21 = CGCG 76-94.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb