John Herschel discovered NGC 5809 = h3586 on 5 Jun 1836 and recorded "vF; S; E; glbM." His single position matches MCG -02-38-025 = PGC 53624.

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/30/92): faint, small, slightly elongated 4:3 NW-SE, almost even surface brightness, no noticeable core. A mag 13 star is 2.6' E. Located 6.1' ESE of a mag 10 star. The NGC 5801, NGC 5802, NGC 5803 trio is located 15' N.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb