Captain William Henry Smyth
Apr 5, 1838    No. 6 The Crescent, Bedford, England (map)
150mm f/17.6 refractor by Tully 1827

A close double star, over the Crabs northern claw. A 5½, white; B 7, yellow. This star is designated ι2 by Flamsteed, and he is followed by ♅. H. S. and Σ.; but there is only one star distinguished by that letter in Bayer's Map, which is 48 Cancri, and Piazzi's No. 158, Hora VIII. To preserve identity it may be mentioned that the object before us is No. 192 of the Palermo Catalogue; and that Mr. Baily has restored the σ in his edition of Flamsteed: a most valuable contribution to pure astronomy.

For want of convenient naked-eye stars in this vicinity, the searcher for the point in dispute, must remember that it is about 18° east of and on the parallel of Castor; where its place is sufficiently indicated by a long line drawn up from Sirius in the south-west, and passed over Procyon.

The other measures of this exquisite object, which is 30 ♅. I., are indicative of fixity, though not co-incident, being as follows:

    ♅.        Pos. 338° 12'  Dist. 0".85  Ep. 1782.27
    H. and S.      340° 11'        1".89      1822.15
    Σ.             333° 18'        1".51      1829.71
   [WDS            310°            1".5       2019   ]

[The coordinates and description given by Smyth, including the double star parameters identify the star as ρ2 Cnc/58 Cnc/HD 75959 rather than σ2 Cnc as entry CCCXLII is titled, or ι2 Cnc and 48 Cnc as mentioned in the description]

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

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