William Herschel discovered NGC 6010 = H II-583 = h1939 on 3 May 1786 (sweep 562) and recorded "vF, S, E, r." His position is less than 1' south of UGC 10081. A second observation on 28 May 1786 (sweep 568) states "pB, S, bM, E, nearly in the parallel." JH made the single observation "pB; S; lE in parallel [E-W], gbM."

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/11/88): fairly faint, fairly small, very elongated WNW-ESE, small bright core, stellar nucleus. A mag 14.5 star is 1.9' S and a mag 15 star 40" S of center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb