Lewis Swift found NGC 6176 = Sw. V-70 on 1 Oct 1886 and recorded "eF; eS; e diff.; in vacancy; 2 others and Comet 1884 I near." His position is a good match with CGCG 298-038 = PGC 58188 (7 seconds east). Perhaps one of the "2 others" nearby is NGC 6189. Swift discovered CGCG 298-038 just 3 months earlier and published it in list IV-35 = NGC 6170. His earlier position, though, was 39 seconds too far west and apparently he didn't catch the equivalence. So, NGC 6176 = NGC 6170. There are several cases where Swift "discovered" a galaxy twice and sometimes published both positions in the same list.

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/20/87): fairly faint, small, slightly elongated, brighter core, stellar nucleus. Located 30' WSW of NGC 6176.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb