It is located at an estimated distance of 392 million light years from Earth[1] and was discovered by William Herschel in 1789.

[6] NGC 6338 is also more luminous compared to other members with estimated absolute magnitudes of MB = -22.2 and MV = -21.92.

[7] The nucleus of NGC 6338 is active and it is classified both a LINER[8] as well as a Fanaroff-Riley class type 0 radio galaxy.

[9] The most accepted theory for this energy source for active galactic nuclei is the presence of an accretion disk around a giant black hole.

[5] Based on narrow band imaging taken with Hubble Space Telescope, NGC 6338 contains Hα emission originating from two compact clouds in its galactic center and three filaments along its minor axis.