Édouard Stephan discovered NGC 6041 = St I-2, along with NGC 6040 and NGC 6042, on 27 Jun 1870. His position matches the galaxy often called NGC 6041A.

300/350mm - 13.1" (5/14/83): very faint, very small, round, similar to NGC 6040 3' NW.

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/13/88): very faint, very small, oval SW-NE. Forms a double system with NGC 6041B attached at the southwest end. The fainter companion appeared extremely faint and small or stellar. In a quadruple subgroup with NGC 6040 2.7' NW (another double system!), NGC 6042 1.5' SE and IC 1170 0.9' W ("extremely faint and small, elongated E-W, requires averted vision"). A mag 11 star lies 1.5' S. Located on the west side of the rich central region of AGC 2151.

17.5" (3/23/85): faint, irregularly round or slightly elongated SW-NE. Suspected to be double.

600/800mm - 24" (6/4/16): at 322x; fairly faint/moderately bright, fairly small, slightly elongated, 25"x20", well concentrated with a small bright core. Forms a double system with NGC 6041 at the southwest end [19" between centers] with the companion faint, extremely small, round, 6". IC 1170, a small faint edge-on, is 1' due west.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb