Captain William Henry Smyth
Dec 2, 1838    No. 6 The Crescent, Bedford, England (map)
150mm f/17.6 refractor by Tully 1827

A star leading to a distant pair. A 5, white; B 8, pale yellow, and C 9, bluish. A is in the Galaxy, between the left hand of Andromeda, and the head of Cassiopea; and it may be fished up by a line through γ and α of the latter, at three times the interval between them in distance. It is here introduced as a pointer to the charming double star B C in the np quadrant, on a line 351°.5, and Δ RA=18s. It is in a fine field with several stars between the individuals. B and C form H II 83, and were thus measured:

    Pos. 84°12'  Dist. 3".50  Ep. 1783.16

By Sir James South, No. 381, they were:

    Pos. 85°21'  Dist. 5".01  Ep. 1825.99

which shows the position to be stationary; and as william Herschels's distance was based on an allowance upon the apparent magnitude of the large star, no exact inference, as to change in this element, can be drawn. The orbital measures of 1838.92 are most satisfactory, and taken under very favourable conditions. The proper motions of A have been thus registered:

    P.... RA -0".07  Dec. -0".02
    B....    +0".ll       -0".00
   [Gaia DR2 +0".005472    0".000086]

― A Cycle of Celestial Objects Vol II, The Bedford Catalogue, William Henry Smyth, 1844

Drawings, descriptions, and CCD photos are copyright Andrew Cooper unless otherwise noted, no usage without permission.

A complete list of credits and sources can be found on the about page