William Herschel discovered NGC 6012 = H II-657 on 19 Mar 1787 (sweep 720) and recorded "F, bM; between, but a little preceding 2 bright stars."

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/13/88): fairly bright, moderately large, elongated NNW-SSE, brighter core, mottled appearance. Several bright stars in field and bracketed by mag 9 SAO 101806 2.0' S and a mag 10 star just 1.4' NE of center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb