Captain William Henry Smyth
Apr 2, 1833    No. 6 The Crescent, Bedford, England (map)
150mm f/17.6 refractor by Tully 1827

A close double star, above the Crab's northern legs, where it may be fished up by the alignment of φ¹. A 6, and B 6½, both silvery white. This very pretty object is 40 ♅. II.; and the substantial agreement of all the measures indicate its fixity. Piazzi briefly says, "videtur duplex." The following are the registered results obtained by the astrometers, who preceded me:

    ♅.        Pos. 213° 18'  Dist. 5".500  Ep. 1782.09
    H. and S.      211° 13'        5".514      1822.48
    Σ.             212° 01'        4".563      1829.45
   [WDS            219°            5".20       2019   ]

This star seems to have a spacial movement of similar value and direction with φ¹. They may be in connexion. [Gaia EDR3 data shows high proper motion for φ1 Cnc while φ2 Cnc is notably further away and exhibits little proper motion]

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

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