George Johnstone Stoney, Lord Rosse's assistant, discovered NGC 6147 on 26 May 1849. He noted "2 new neb, alpha (on diagram) eF st, Beta small." The diagram clearly shows NGC 6147 = PGC 58077 (labeled as Alpha) on a line between NGC 6146 (not labeled) and NGC 6145 (labeled Beta), with NGC 6147 slightly closer to NGC 6145. The direction of drift is not shown but is presumably down in the diagram. Dreyer later added the parenthetical comment "Query h1957 NGC 6145] and h1958 NGC 6146] and one Nova." One faint star (labeled alpha) is shown on the diagram and it appears to correspond with MCG +07-34-022 = PGC 58078. Since Stoney didn't record it as nebulous, it didn't receive a NGC designation.

MCG and UGC (notes section) does not label PGC 58077 as NGC 6147. The RNGC misidentifies PGC 58078 as NGC 6147 and mislabels NGC 6147 as NGC 6141.

400/500mm - 17.5" (7/24/95): extremely faint and small, 15" diameter, round. Only able to glimpse repeatedly <25% of time with averted vision. Faintest of trio and situated 1.4' SE of NGC 6145 and 2' NW of NGC 6146 in AGC 2197. Incorrect identification in the RNGC.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb