NGC 1255 | |
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![]() NGC 1255 (NASA/ESA HST) | |
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch) | |
Constellation | Fornax |
Right ascension | 03h 13m 32.04s [1] |
Declination | −25° 43′ 30.60″ [1] |
Redshift | 0.005624 [1] |
Heliocentric radial velocity | 1686 ± 3 km/s [1] |
Distance | 69 Mly [1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 10.7 [2] |
Apparent magnitude (B) | 11.5 [2] |
Characteristics | |
Type | SBbc [2] |
Apparent size (V) | 4.2 x 2.6 [1] |
Other designations | |
PGC 12007, UGCA 60, AM 0311-255, MCG -4-8-50, ESO 481-13 |
NGC 1255 is a barred spiral galaxy approximately 69 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Fornax. [1]
NGC 1255 was discovered by American astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard on August 30, 1883 with the 6-inch refractor at Vanderbilt University. [3] [4] He described it as a "faint nebula, not large, pretty even in light. A faint star close p and slightly south probably involved. Star is s and f the nebula by about 30'". [3] American astronomer Ormond Stone made an independent discovery in 1886 with the 26" refractor at Leander McCormick Observatory, recording "4.1'x2.0', PA 315°". [3] [4]
Supernova SN 1980O of magnitude 17.0 was detected in NGC 1255 on October 30, 1980. [5] [6] [1] It was discovered by German astronomer Hans-Emil Schuster with the 1.0-m Schmidt telescope. [5] [6] The supernova was classified as type II, and it was located at the following coordinates: RA 03h 13m 27s, Dec -25° 44.50′ (J2000 epoch). [1] By December 30, 1980 the supernova had faded by about 4 magnitudes and showed strong P-Cyg-type profiles. [5]
A second supernova, SN 2022ame (type II, mag. 17.3), was discovered by Kōichi Itagaki on 27 January, 2022. [7]