William Herschel discovered NGC 5885 = H III-116 = h3595 on 9 May 1784 (sweep 210) and recorded "vF, cL, almost R, the whitishness approaching to the milky kind; very near and preceding a bright star." John Herschel made a single observation: "pF; L; R; vgbM; 3' diam."

300/350mm - 13.1" (7/5/83): very faint, round, diffuse with a low, even surface brightness. Mag 9 SAO 140412 is just off the NE edge 1.7' from center and light from the star swamps the dim glow of the galaxy.

400/500mm - 18" (6/13/07): moderately bright, moderately large, elongated 4:3 SW-NE,, ~1.5'x1.1', very weak concentration. A mag 10 star sits at the NE tip of the galaxy.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb