John Herschel discovered NGC 6683 = h2018 on 28 Jul 1827 and recorded "A more than usually condensed portion of the enormous cluster of the Milky Way. The field has 200 or 300 stars in it at once." His position is accurate. Based on Heidelberg plates, Karl Reinmuth noted "irregular clustering in extremely dense region, not well defined."

200/250mm - 8" (7/5/83): 10 faint stars in an elongated group over unresolved haze. The "Great Rift" is obvious just 10' W. In a rich field.

8" (7/16/82): elongated group of about 12 stars mag 11 and fainter in a rich star field.

400/500mm - 17.5" (7/1/89): about 20 faint mag 13-15 stars in two converging rows in a very rich field. The edge of the "Great Rift" is just 10' W (part of dark nebula B103) with an abrupt drop off in stars!

Notes by Steve Gottlieb