William Herschel discovered NGC 6834 = H VIII-16 = h2054 on 17 Jul 1784 (sweep 239) and recorded "a cl of not very compressed stars; closest in the middle. It may be compared to a cluster which is forming or gathering and not yet arrived to the state of those that are more advanced, or contain more stars." JH logged this cluster as "coarse irreg R; with detached portions of smaller stars. Those in the main cluster = 11 or 12 mag." His position was accurate.

400/500mm - 17.5" (8/7/91): 40 visible stars in a 8' diameter. A mag 10 star is in the middle of a line of seven mag 13 stars oriented SW-NE and also at the center of four mag 11/12 stars on a line oriented E-W. Sprays of stars emanate from the bright star to the SW and SE. A small clump of five stars lies 4' S of the mag 10 star. Planetary nebula NGC 6842 lies 38' ESE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb