Lewis Swift discovered NGC 6472 = Sw. V-79, along with NGC 6456, 6471 and 6477, on 25 Sept 1886. His description simply comments on how faint and small this galaxy appeared. He notes this is the "5th of 6" in the group, and the declination is the furthest north. His position is 7 sec of RA east and 1' north of PGC 2703230 (the furthest north), though this galaxy precedes both the candidates for NGC 6470 and 6471. Still, the most reasonable assignment is NGC 6472 = PGC 2703230.

NGC 6472 is mislabeled as NGC 6477 in the RNGC. Furthermore, NGC 6470 = UGC 10974 (discovered by Swift earlier on 9 Jun 1886) is misidentified as NGC 6472 in RNGC, UGC, CGCG and MCG. See Corwin's notes to NGC 6456 for more.

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/11/88): extremely faint and small, round. In a crowded region of NGC 6456 group with NGC 6470 1.3' ESE, NGC 6471 2.4' SSE and NGC 6463 3.2' SW. Misidentified as NGC 6477 in the RNGC.

600/800mm - 24" (8/23/14): very faint, very small, round, 12" diameter. A mag 17.0 star (based on SDSS photometry) was occasionally glimpsed 30" E. Located 1.3' NW of NGC 6470.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb