Truman Safford discovered NGC 6589 = Sf 81 = Sw. II-63 on 28 Aug 1867 and noted "10m [with] pF nebulosity." His position is 2.6' too far north, but accurate in RA. Lewis Swift independently discovered this reflection nebula on 12 Jul 1885 and recorded "Another D in center of an eF, pL nebulosity; np of 2 [with NGC 6590]. Except for the inequality of the stars and the excessive faintness of the nebula, it would resemble the preceding [Sw II-62 = NGC 6590]." Swift's position was 35 seconds of time too far west (same error as NGC 6590, found the same night). As Safford's discovery list was not published until 1887 when Dreyer had already compiled the NGC table, Swift was credited with the discovery. E.E. Barnard measured an accurate micrometric position, which was published in AN 3101 and repeated in the IC I Notes section.

Finally, Harold Corwin suggests that Barnard's IC 4690 may a duplicate entry. In "Some notes on nebulae and nebulosities" (AN 4239), Barnard writes "The two stars BD -19d 4881 and -19d 4946 are closely and densely nebulous. The nebulosity about -19d 4881 is somewhat extended nf and sp." BD -19d 4881 is not involved in any nebulosity, but Corwin suggests he meant BD -19d 4940 instead, and the extended nebula should read -19d 4946. If that's the case, then IC 4690 = NGC 6589 and IC 4700 = NGC 6590.

300/350mm - 13" (7/16/82): very faint, larger than NGC 6590 to the south. Surrounds two stars. IC 1283/1284 lies just NE.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/18/01): at 100x (unfiltered) this is a bright, roundish glow, ~4' diameter, surrounding a wide pair of mag 10/11.5 stars. On the following side, a small 1' glow seems overlapping, causing the east side to bulge out and extending the diameter to 5'x4'. Forms a prominent pair with NGC 6590 6' SSE in a weakly luminous Milky Way field.

17.5" (6/20/87): at 88x with UHC filter appears as a bright, prominent nebula surrounding a mag 9 star. The nebulosity is more extensive on the following side of the star. Forms a pair with reflection nebula NGC 6595 7' SSE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb