Lewis Swift discovered NGC 6123 = Sw. II-40 in 1884-85 (exact date unknown) and recorded "pF; vS; E; * nr." His position was 15 seconds of time too far west. Bigourdan measured an accurate position on 31 Aug 1888 as well as Hermann Kobold in Mar 1894.

400/500mm - 17.5" (4/15/93): faint, fairly small, very elongated 3:1 N-S, small bright core, thin extensions. A mag 12.5 star is 1.4' SSW of center.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb