Lewis Swift discovered NGC 6303 = Sw. I-54 on 14 Oct 1884 and noted "vvF; cE; pL; nearly bet. 2 stars." There is nothing near his position. Bigourdan's "corrected" position on 15 Sep 1890 (repeated in the IC 2 Notes) refers to a star.

Harold Corwin equates UGC 10711 with NGC 6303. This galaxy is situated 28' north of Swift's position and 30 seconds of time east, but matches his comment "nearly between 2 stars." Malcolm Thomson disagrees (in his CGCG Corrections) due to the discrepancy in RA and Dec. All modern catalogues identify UGC 10711 as NGC 6303.

400/500mm - 17.5" (7/9/88): very faint, small, slightly elongated WSW-ENE, weak concentration.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb