The NGC identification is very uncertain as the 4th Earl of Rosse's position was 74' further south and there is no nebulosity near his position.

Lawrence Parsons, the 4th Earl of Rosse, discovered NGC 6974 on 20 Aug 1873 and described a "Nebulous *, neby cE pf, 20h 45.5m NPD 59d 50'±." This position precesses to 20h 50.8m +30d 38'± (2000) and places it somewhere in the central region on the Veil.

The RNGC position is on the southeast end of the section that includes NGC 6979, over a degree due north of Parsons' position. Also, this piece of nebulosity is not "cE pf", but extended generally north-south." Still, Corwin feels this is a plausible candidate (digit error in the declination). In any case, the identification of this number is uncertain because of these discrepancies.

400/500mm - 17.5" (9/7/91): smaller southern portion of a very faint elongated patch with NGC 6979 in the Veil Nebula. Several faint stars are superimposed. Located east of the north edge of the widest section of the huge triangular wedge of nebulosity in the center of the Veil. Also see NGC 6979.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb