William Herschel discovered NGC 6800 = H VIII-21 = h2041 on 10 Sep 1784 (sweep 263) and logged "a cluster of coarsely scattered L stars intermixed with small stars." His position is on the northwest edge of the cluster. On 17 Jul 1785 (sweep 415), he called it "a coarsely scattered cl of considerately L stars, not rich." JH made a single observation, noting "vL; p rich; very straggling; stars 10m; fills field."

400/500mm - 17.5" (9/7/91): over 100 stars in a 25' field. Bright, very large, fairly rich in spots but not concentrated and very weak in the center. Bordered by a circular outline of mag 10-11 stars. A rich double group of about ten stars each is at the south side and includes a few bright stars and many faint stars. Off the west side is mag 7.7 SAO 87200 and mag 6.2 SAO 87190 is another 11' SW. Two rays of stars extend west of the main group. Located 35' NW of mag 4.4 Alpha Vulpeculae.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb