William Herschel discovered NGC 6293 = H VI-12 = h1977 = h3667 on 24 May 1784 (sweep 224) and noted "a miniature cluster of stars of the former cluster [M19]; such as described sweep 223 [NGC 6284], but rather coarser." From the Cape of Good Hope, John Herschel recorded "globular cluster; B; R; psbM; diam 7.0s; resolved into stars 16m."

300/350mm - 13.1" (7/27/84): fairly bright, high surface brightness, compact core, much fainter mottled halo. Between 6-12 very faint stars are resolved in the halo at 360x.

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/6/86): small, compact, 10-20 stars resolved at 286x and on the verge of more extensive resolution.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb