Lewis Swift discovered NGC 6488 = Sw. IV-59 = Sw. V-81 on 1 Sep 1886 and recorded "pF; pS; E; between a pair of stars and a trio of stars in form of a semi-circle." His position is 21 seconds of RA west of CGCG 300-076 = PGC 60918 and his description applies. He found this galaxy again four weeks later and reported it as new in list V-81 with comment "eeF; S; R; bet. a * and distant triangle." His second position was quite similar (16 seconds too far west) and he later made a correction (errata to list VIII) "for distant triangle, read: little triangle." Dreyer combined the two observations into a single NGC designation. This is one of several cases where Swift included the same object on two lists or even the same list. Kobold measured an accurate position in 1899, though the correction wasn't published until 1907.

Harold Corwin concludes that Swift rediscovered this galaxy a third time on 11 Jun 1888 and reported in list VII-93 (later IC 1270), "eeeF S R; bet. a * and 3 st. slightly curved; np of 6488; eee diff." There is nothing at his position, but NGC 6488 follows by 1 1/2 minutes of RA (same Dec) and his description applies with the 3 stars to the north west and a star (more than 1) to the southeast. Corwin suggests Swift added the comment "np of 6488" when preparing his table for publication based on his earlier position. So, IC 1270 = NGC 6488.

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/11/88): fairly faint, very small, round, weak concentration. Located within a curving lane of 8 mag 11-14 stars oriented NW-SE including three mag 11 stars roughly 2' NW.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb