William Herschel discovered NGC 6569 = H II-201 = D 619 = h3736 on 13 Jul 1784 (sweep 237) and recorded "F, pL, lbM, r." His position (CH's reduction) is 9' too far northeast. This globular was the second most southerly object WH discovered. James Dunlop observed NGC 6569 on 2 Jun 1826 and recorded "a pretty well-defined round nebula, about 2' diameter, slight condensation to the centre." He made 2 observations and his position was 14' too far east.

On 3 Aug 1834, John Herschel described the cluster as "globular; pB; L; R; glbM; 4' diam, resolved into stars 15m." He also noted that on 16 Jul 1836, the cluster was "Found in equatorial [5-inch refractor] in a zone review for double stars, where it appeared as a F, R neb 1' diam."

200/250mm - 8" (7/31/81): faint, small, round, no resolution. A mag 7 star is 9' S.

400/500mm - 17.5" (5/10/91): fairly bright, fairly small, round, 2.5' diameter, weakly concentrated but no distinct core. The surface brightness is irregular and the cluster is mottled with darker areas on the east side. But there was no definite resolution into stars. Four stars cradle the globular to the southwest and southeast and mag 6.6 SAO 209873 is 9' S.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb