Andrew Cooper
Oct 23, 2023    Waikoloa, HI (map)
20cm f/6 Newtonian, Cave Astrola @ 136x
Seeing: 5 Transparency: 6 Moon: 0%

White, an 8th magnitude 4" companion is not visible in rich galactic starfield

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

A very neat double star, on the Waggoner's left shin; lying in the line formed between β Aurigse and δ Orionis, the preceding star in Orion's belt; nearly in mid-distance between β and the three small stars forming Orion's head. A 8, creamy white; B 8½, pale grey. This fine object was discovered by Σ., and is No. 796 of the great Dorpat Catalogue, where its position and distance are thus given:

    Pos. 61°.16 Dist. 3".596 Ep. 1830.79
   [WDS  62°          3".7       2019   ]

Gaia EDR3 data shows matching parallax and proper motions for this pair.

― 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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