Captain William Henry Smyth
Oct 16, 1838    No. 6 The Crescent, Bedford, England (map)
150mm f/17.6 refractor by Tully 1827

A delicate double star on the left thigh of Pollux, about 12° on a line from Procyon towards Aurigæ, in the north-north-west, and rather less than a third of the distance between Castor and Sirius. A 4½, brilliant white; B 12, yellowish: the pair observed under the most favourable circumstances of weather and instruments, but the companion was seen best under an averted eye. This fine object was discovered by Σ., and is No. 1061 of the Dorpat Catalogue, where it is thus registered:

    Pos. 30°.93'  Dist. 9".56  Ep. 1829.86
   [WDS  36°            9".70      2021   ]

λ Geminorum has been placed on the variable class, but I could detect no difference in its brightness as compared with 22 Monocerotis, ν Orionis, and 2 Lyncis: it was also considered to have a large spacial movement, but recent investigations have diminished it to a question of mere instrumental error; the best values are:

    P....  RA -0".10  Dec. -0".04
    B....     +0".03        0".00
   [Gaia EDR3 -0".046157   -0".036007]

This being one of those objects impracticable to artificial light, rendered it necessary to apply a non-illuminating micrometer; and the mean of angles carefully taken with Dollond's spherical rock-crystal, enabled me to form a position of high weight.

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

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