William Herschel discovered NGC 5984 = H II-656 on 19 Mar 1787 (sweep 720) and logged "pB, bM, E from np to sf, about 1 1/2' long." His position is 1.7' due south of UGC 9987.

200/250mm - 8" (4/24/82): faint, small, edge-on NW-SE.

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/4/94): moderately bright, edge-on 4:1 NW-SE, 2.4'x0.6', broad concentration with no distinct nucleus. A thin isosceles triangle consisting of three mag 12.5/13 stars is 2' N.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb