Andrew Cooper
Nov 7, 2020    Waikoloa, HI (map)
20cm f/6 Newtonian, Cave Astrola @ 76x
Seeing: 7 Transparency: 6 Moon: 0%

Pale orange, a 10th magnitude companion visible 1' northwest

Gaia DR2 data shows divergent parallax and proper motion data on the companion, this is not a physical pair

Captain William Henry Smyth
Sep 6, 1837    No. 6 The Crescent, Bedford, England (map)
150mm f/17.6 refractor by Tully 1827

A coarse triple star, just above the snout of the Northern Fish, where a line carried from a Andromedæ through δ, and 5° beyond, will hit to the south of it. A 6, deep yellow; B 10½, blue; C 11, ruddy. This is a poor object, and merely examined because H. entertained some doubts of its identity, when S. No. 393, had been measured. The results of H V 16. are registered "pretty accurate;" and the whole of the observations stand thus:

H. Pos. 285°28' Dist. 48".13 Ep. 1780.59
S.      291°08'       90".'±     1824.94

As there appears to be some error here, I examined the spot closely for another comes in the direction pointed by A and B; and prevailed upon the Rev. Mr. Challis to do the same with the great Northumberland equatoreal, in 1842. "We are both satisfied that there is no other measurable star than those I observed in 1832; the only other direct companion in view being a bluish 9th-magnitude individual, near the parallel of the sp quadrant, distant about 7' in space. No safe conclusion can be deduced from the discrepancies observable in the position of A and B, as the object is most delicate, still an inference of binarity is deducible from a comparison of the registered epochs of William Hershel and myself, at the rate of 0°.15 per annum, in a nf direction, indicating a highly elongated ellipse, with a period of upwards of 2000 years.

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

Object Note

Smyth referes to a star near these coordinates as σ2 Psc. The Bedford Cycle coordinates are 0h57m24s N31°19.5' epoch 1832. These precess to 1h05'37" 32°07'49", about 2' of RA and 10' of Dec away from HD 6476. Smyth also gives data on the 10th magnitude companion at PA 293 and 56" and describes the star as "deep yellow".

Modern catalogs refer to σ Psc only with no trace of σ2 Psc. Given the coordinates and description of the 10th magnitude companion this must be 76 Psc/HD 6476. as star color as well as the magnitude and position of the companion are a precise match.

Checking the original Flamsteed Atlas Coelestis charts one can see where σ1 and σ2 would be assumed, with the σ marking closer to 76 Psc than 69 Psc, possibly due to the dark shading used to illutrate the upper fish of Pisces. I do not have a copy of the Flamsteed tables to check against.

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