Andrew Cooper
Mar 22, 2020    Waikoloa, HI (map)
20cm f/6 Newtonian, Cave Astrola @ 61x
Seeing: 7 Transparency: 6 Moon: 0%

Rich yellow, 11m 2.5" companion not seen

Captain William Henry Smyth
Jan 1, 1832    No. 6 The Crescent, Bedford, England (map)
150mm f/17.6 refractor by Tully 1827

A star with a distant telescopic companion, between the legs of Lepus. A 4, deep yellow; and B 11, blue, and in the centre of three small stars in the following part of the field. This star is often called Nihal, but the name is more properly applied to α, β, γ, and δ, the Arabian Al-nihál, or thirst-slaking camels; it will be identified by drawing a line from the middle star of Orion's belt, through the sword, and extending it 3° below α Leporis.

A difference from the general laws of precession has been exhibited by this star, which, though of no great amount, is deserving of being well watched, and the little comes here noted may be a direction. The values at present given are:

    P....  RA -0".03  Dec. -0".07
    Br...     -0".04       -0".10
    B....     +0".06       -0".08
   [Hipparcos -0".00502    -0".08601]

― 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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