NGC 5291 is a system of interacting galaxies in the constellation Centaurus. Its velocity with respect to the cosmic microwave background is 4,648±20 km/s, which corresponds to a Hubble distance of 223.6 ± 15.7 Mly (68.55 ± 4.81 Mpc). However, two non-redshift measurements give a closer mean distance of 177.43 ± 9.78 Mly (54.400 ± 3.000 Mpc). It was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel on 8 May 1834.