Lewis Swift discovered NGC 6654 = Sw. I-97 on 11 Sep 1883 and "supposed it to be a nebula, though he had a slight suspicion it might be a comet." He confirmed the object on 14 September, measured a different (more accurate) position matching UGC 11238 but reported it as a new comet to Harvard College Observatory. While searching for Swift's "comet", Johann Palisa, observing with the 12" refractor at the Vienna Observatory on 20 Sep 1883, and Ernst Lamp, observing with the 8-inch refractor at the Kiel Observatory on 23 Sep 1883, both found this galaxy and assumed it was a new nebula. Swift was probably both upset and embarrassed he was deceived by this "nebula". He responded (AN 107, p273) by explaining his error and stating the nebula found by Palisa and Lamp was the same as he discovered but mistook for a comet. Swift also said he was surprised that so bright an object was previously missed. He included it in his first discovery list, with description "pB; R; mbM. Looks like a comet."

400/500mm - 17.5" (7/9/88): moderately bright, moderately large, round. Sharply concentrated with a very bright, just non-stellar nucleus embedded in a large low surface brightness halo. A mismatched mag 11/14.5 double star lies 2.4' W.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb