Lewis Swift discovered NGC 6080 = Sw. VI-87 on 30 Mar 1887 and recorded "pB; pS; R; mbM." His position is 6 seconds west of UGC 10268. Herbert Howe, observing with the 20-inch refractor in Denver in 1900, commented "this is accompanied by a star of mag 12.5, 20" distant at 45°, which appeared to be nebulous." The "star" is actually the compact companion PGC 93131.

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/11/88): fairly faint, small, slightly elongated, stellar nucleus. Forms a double system with a faint companion (PGC 93131) attached at the north end. (PGC 93131 is extremely faint and small, appears as a mag 15-15.5 "star" attached at the northeast end of NGC 6080.

600/800mm - 24" (6/12/15): at 225x and 375x; fairly faint to moderately bright, small, slightly elongated, ~24"x18", very small bright nucleus. Forms a very close double system with PGC 93131 at the northeast edge of the halo, just 18" between centers! The physical companion (identified in NED as NGC 6080 NED02) appeared very faint to faint, extremely small, quasi-stellar (~6" diameter)

Notes by Steve Gottlieb