Heinrich d'Arrest discovered NGC 6512, along with NGC 6516 and 6521, on 27 Oct 1861 with the 11-inch refractor at Copenhagen. His single position is accurate. Lewis Swift independently discovered all three of these galaxies on 28 May 1886 and recorded "eF; pS; vE; np of 2". Swift's position is 24 seconds too far west and the description should read "sp of 2 [with NGC 6516]."

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/11/88): very faint, very small, round, weak concentration. A mag 15 star is at the south edge just 21" from the center. First of three with NGC 6516 3.4' NE and NGC 6521 6.9' ESE. NGC 6521 is the brightest in a group (WBL 650).

Notes by Steve Gottlieb