This galaxy is located at a distance of 83.5 million light years and is receding at a heliocentric radial velocity of 1,502 km/s.

[7] The inclination of the galactic plane of NGC 5170 is tilted at an angle of ~86° to the line of sight from the Earth, which means the disk is significantly obscured.

It is estimated to have a morphological class of type Sb to Sc, meaning the spiral arms are moderate to loosely wound.

Combined with the proximity and edge-on view of NGC 5170, this makes galaxy useful for studies of its globular cluster population.

[4] Numerical modeling of this galaxy indicates it has a massive dark halo with a thin, low surface brightness disk.