Lewis Swift discovered NGC 6477 = Sw. V-80, along with NGC 6456, 6471 and 6472, on 25 Sept 1886. His description simply comments on how faint and small this galaxy appeared and notes it as the "6th of 6". There is nothing close to his position except for a mag 16.5 star, which is perhaps too faint to have been picked up.

Corwin proposes NGC 6477 may be LEDA 2702901. This galaxy is 15 seconds of RA west and 1.5' south of Swift's position. But is it too faint? I found this galaxy was very marginal object in my 17.5" and even challenging in my 24". So, I'm not convinced at all of this identification and more likely consider it lost. In any case, the RNGC certainly misidentifies NGC 6472 as NGC 6477. This error was included in my RNGC Corrections #3.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/25/95): extremely difficult, perhaps 10" diameter, round. Only detected for moments using averted vision and knowing the exact location. Located 1.6' SE of NGC 6470 = UGC 10974 (misidentified as NGC 6472 in modern catalogues). A mag 14.5 star is just 30" due north.

600/800mm - 24" (8/23/14): at 375x, extremely faint and small, round, 6" diameter. At moments it appeared essentially stellar (perhaps only the nucleus seen). Located 1.6' SE of NGC 6470 and 1.9' NE of NGC 6471.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb