Ormond Stone discovered NGC 5863 = LM 1-223 = Big. 189 in 1886 and recorded "S, R, gbMN, *12 in eF neb." His rough position (nearest min of RA) is 35 seconds of RA west too small. Bigourdan found this galaxy again on 30 Apr 1889, assumed it was new and reported it as Big. 189. His position was 5' too far south (accurate in RA). Jermain Porter measured an accurate micrometric position in 1906 using the 16-inch Clark refractor at the Cincinnati Observatory.

400/500mm - 17.5" (7/9/94): fairly faint, small, elongated 4:3, 0.7'x0.5', weak even concentration, small bright core, faint stellar nucleus flickers with direct vision. Situated between a mag 13.5 star 2' E and a mag 14.5 star 2' W.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb