Andrew Cooper
Nov 9, 2020    Waikoloa, HI (map)
20cm f/6 Newtonian, Cave Astrola @ 76x
Seeing: 6 Transparency: 6 Moon: 0%

Pale orange, the 7th magnitude star visible 3' northeast is listed as the B companion by WDS, χ Cet is 35' southwest

Gaia DR2 data shows the 7th magnitude B companion exhibits divergent parallax and proper motion, it is a background star

Captain William Henry Smyth
Nov 14, 1835    No. 6 The Crescent, Bedford, England (map)
150mm f/17.6 refractor by Tully 1827

A bright star, with a distant companion, in a poor field. A 3, topaz yellow; B 9, white, with a small star to the nf. This object is in the midst of the Whale's body, whence it was called batn Kaïtós, the belly of Cetus, by the Arabian astronomers. It is on the line from θ towards π, and about one third of the distance from the former; and a ray carried from ν through ζ will stretch out to β Andromedæ. A has a slight movement in space, but the value and direction are differently stated:

    P.... RA -0".16  Dec. +0".11
    Br...    +0".11       +0".14
    B....    +0".06       -0".12
   [Gaia DR2 +0".031814   -0".042114]

[The Gaia DR2 data shows that the 10th magnitude companion Smyth refers to is a background star]

― 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.

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