Lewis Swift discovered NGC 6601 = Sw. I-90 on 4 Aug 1883 and logged "eF; R; pS; near end of a curve of stars. 4th of 8." His position is 13 seconds of RA west of CGCG 301-019 = PGC 61533 and the comment "near end of a curve of stars" applies to this galaxy. Herbert Howe measured an accurate position in 1899-00 with the 20-inch refractor at Denver.

400/500mm - 17.5" (6/11/88): very faint, very small, round. A mag 14 star is 1.1' W. Fourth in a large group of extremely faint galaxies.

600/800mm - 24" (7/19/12): fairly faint, small, elongated 5:3 SW-NE, ~20"x12", very small brighter nucleus. A group of stars including two mag 9 and 10 lies 4' N. Fourth of 9, including 8 NGC galaxies discovered by Lewis Swift.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb