William Herschel discovered NGC 6401 = H I-44 = h1982 = h3697 on 21 May 1784 (sweep 222) and recorded "cB, pL, having a kind of nucleus towards the following side." On 26 May 1786 (sweep 566), he called it "pB, gbM, L, r, some of the stars visible." From the Cape of Good Hope, John Herschel logged "pB; R; vgbM; 25"; a * 13m involved, following the centre."

Sven Cederblad catalogued this globular as the nebula Ced 149. This incorrect classification is probably from Julius Scheiner, who gave its spectrum as gaseous (before 1912) at the Potsdam Observatory.

200/250mm - 8" (6/27/81): faint, small, round, compact, diffuse. A single bright mag 12-13 star is involved.

400/500mm - 17.5" (7/27/92): fairly faint, small, round, 1.5'-2.0' diameter. Unusual appearance as a mag 12 field star is embedded southeast of the core within the halo. No other resolution was seen and the globular has a very weak concentration.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb