Francis Leavenworth discovered NGC 5880 = LM 1-224 on 6 Jun 1885 and recorded "mag 15.2, 0.2' dia, R, lbsbMN, in field with Harvard 331 [NGC 5883]." His rough position (nearest min of RA) is 1.0 min of RA west and 3' north of MCG -02-39-012 = PGC 54427. As this galaxy is 3' northwest of[NGC 5883, the identification is reasonable.

Because of Leavenworth's poor position, there's been confusion on the identification. The Helwan Observatory bulletin #38 for 1935 misidentified MCG -02-39-010 as NGC 5880. This galaxy is 12' due north of the NGC position but doesn't match being "in field with [NGC 5883]." It is in the field of NGC 5878 instead. The RNGC and MCG misidentified MCG -02-39-010 as NGC 5880. This is a very low surface brightness spiral about 10' southwest of MCG -02-39-012.

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/30/92): very faint, very small, round, even surface brightness. A mag 11 star is 2.1' NNW. Forms a pair with NGC 5883 3.5' SE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb