Andrew Cooper
Nov 13, 2020    Waikoloa, HI (map)
20cm f/6 Newtonian, Cave Astrola @ 136x
Seeing: 5 Transparency: 6 Moon: 0%

Brilliant blue-white, no companion noted, 13' south of the Pleiades cluster center and 18' southwest of Alcyone

Captain William Henry Smyth
Dec 17, 1830    No. 6 The Crescent, Bedford, England (map)
150mm f/17.6 refractor by Tully 1827

A bright star on the Bull's shoulder, pointing to the small pair in the south of the field, which were measured and proved to be S.'s No. 437. A 5, silvery white; B 8, purple; and C 9, pale blue. This object—Merope—is in a fine neighbourhood, as viewed under a moderate magnifying power, being near the middle of the Pleiades. S. thus registers it:

    Pos. 150°17'  Dist. 34".566  Ep. 1823.99

Proper motions in space are imputed to Merope, which are noted to these opposing values:

    P....  RA -0".11  Dec. +0".04
    B....     +0".09       -0".03
   [Hipparcos +0".02113    -0".04365]

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

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