E.E. Barnard discovered IC 4706 and 4707 photographically in Jul/Aug 1905 using the 10-inch Bruce telescope at Mt. Wilson. In describing the region surrounding M17 = Swan Nebula (see AN 4239), he wrote, "Preceding the brightest portion of the nebula, by about 15', are two small stars involved in a small nebulosity. These stars are BD -16°4812 [IC 4706] and -16°4813 [IC 4707] of the 9.2 and 9.4 magnitudes." Harold Corwin notes that Barnard misidentified the BD stars, which should read BD -16°4811 [IC 4706] and -16°4812 [IC 4707]. As a result the IC positions are in error (particularly for[IC 4707).

400/500mm - 18" (8/2/05): an identical wide pair of mag 9 stars (HD 168276 and HD 168302) at 1.2' separation seemed to be encased in a very faint, roundish nebulosity at 115x. The western star corresponds with IC 4706. Only a weak contrast gain was noticed using an OIII filter, so this must be a low excitation region. At the southeast edge of the field a portion of M17 is visible - IC 4706/4707 is probably an outlying patch of the Swan Nebula.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb