Captain William Henry Smyth
Apr 16, 1830    No. 6 The Crescent, Bedford, England (map)
150mm f/17.6 refractor by Tully 1827

A close double star, between the Unicorn's tail and Hydra's heart. A and B, both 7½, and both white. This beautiful object is 77 ♅. II., and Nos. 214 and 215 of Piazzi's Hora VIII. A reduction of these and the other measures are as follows, and which, compared with my own, are sufficient proof of fixity :

    ♅.        Pos. 356° 30'  Dist. 5".00  Ep. 1782.99
    P.             360° 00'        4".50      1800.00
    H. and S.      356° 08'        5".72      1822.14
    Σ.             358° 50'        4".33      1831.59
   [WDS              3°            4".1       2020   ]

To align this object, draw a right angle at Procyon to a line brought from Sirius, and it will meet 17 Hydræ at 11° west of Cor Hydræ, or rather a greater distance than that between the two first-named stars.

― 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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