Francis Leavenworth discovered NGC 5803 = LM 1-217, along with NGC 5801 and 5802, on 10 Jun 1885. He noted "vF, vS, sbM, 3rd of 3." Herbert Howe measured an accurate micrometric position around 1900 at the Chamberlin Observatory in Denver (repeated in the IC 2 Notes section).

Harold Corwin notes that Leavenworth's sketch clearly identifies NGC 5803 with a faint galaxy just northeast of both NGC 5801 and 5802. The RNGC identification and position is correct although the Sinnott's NGC 2000.0 and the Deep Sky Field Guide (first edition) is 0.4 min of RA too large.

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/30/00): very faint, extremely small, round, 15" diameter, occasional stellar nucleus. Faintest of a trio situated 2.2' ENE of NGC 5801 and 1.8' NE of NGC 5802. The galaxy is nearly collinear with two mag 13-13.5 stars to the SE [2.6' and 4.0'].

17.5" (7/15/93): not seen.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb