Giovanni Hodierna discovered NGC 6530 = h3725, the cluster within M8, around 1654 and reported it in his catalog "De Admirandis Coeli Caracteribus". Messier described "a cluster of stars that appears to be a nebula when observed with a simple three-foot refractor; with an excellent instrument, however, one sees only a large number of faint stars. Near this cluster there is a fairly bright star [9 Sgr], which is surrounded by a very faint glow." John Herschel recorded (sweep 474) "a B, p Rich, irreg R cl; place that of a double * in the following part of the cluster, which is itself involved in the great nebula M8."

200/250mm - 8" 30 stars mag 7-13 in a 10' diameter. Bright, moderately large. Located on the east edge of M8!

400/500mm - 17.5" (7/8/94): bright scattered group of 40-50 stars at the east edge of M8 just following the edge of the dark "Lagoon" lane which runs SW-NE. The group forms a rough triangular outline 10'x6' oriented N-S with the longest base along the east side running N-S. The cluster is encased in the fairly bright eastern portion of the M8 nebulosity that passes directly through most of the cluster.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb