NGC 6717 (also Collinder 395, Palomar 9, ESO 523-SC14 and GCL 105) is a magnitude +8.9 globular star cluster located 23,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. The cluster is 1'40" from the double star Nu2 Sagittarii.
The globular cluster was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel using a 47.5 cm (18.7 inch) f/13 speculum reflector at Datchet, Berkshire on the 7th August 1784.
Right Ascension 18h 55m 06.2s, Declination -22° 42' 01"
In the Almagest, Ptolemy describes the star [Nu Sagittarii] as "nebulous and double", referring to the double nature of the star, as well as the nearby globular cluster NGC 6717