John Herschel discovered NGC 6996 = h2094 on 28 Oct 1828 and noted "viewed. A mere clustering portion of the Milky Way." No position was given. On sweep 293 he logged "Coarse, poor, pL cluster, stars small." His position corresponds with a scattered group of stars in the northern portion of the North America nebula. He was apparently looking for his father's H VIII- 82 = NGC 6989 and was uncertain if they were equivalent. NGC 6996 and 6989 are two different Milky Way fields, based on JH's single position.

The RNGC misidentifies NGC 6997 (50' further south) as NGC 6996 (error originated by Hogg). See Corwin's notes.

400/500mm - 17.5" (9/23/95): about 50 stars mag 10 and fainter within an 8'-10' group in the northeast part of the North American nebula. Fairly well-detached and distinguishable in a low power field but appears to be a typical Milky Way cloud with no particular dense spots. Situated about 10' NW of a striking equilateral triangle of mag 8/9 stars with sides 2' (center at 20 57.0 +45 19). Barnard 353 (low contrast) is just following. The RNGC misidentifies NGC 6997 as NGC 6696.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb