NGC 1278

{{Short description|Galaxy in the constellation Perseus}}

{{Sky|03|19|54.1376|+|41|33|48.212}}

{{Infobox Galaxy

| name = NGC 1278

| image = SDSS NGC 1278.jpg

| caption = SDSS image of NGC 1278 (center), NGC 1277 can be seen to the upper right of the image.

| epoch = J2000

| type = E pec{{cite web

| website=NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database

| publisher = NASA and Caltech

| title=Results for object NGC 1278

| url=https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/byname?objname=NGC+1278

| access-date=2018-07-02}}

| ra = {{RA|03|19|54.1376}}

| dec = {{DEC|+41|33|48.212}}

| dist_ly = {{convert|69.518 ± 7.147|Mpc|Mly|abbr=on|lk=on|order=flip}}

| group_cluster = Perseus Cluster

| h_radial_v = 6090 km/s

| z = 0.020314

| appmag_v = 13.57

| size_v = {{Val|1.5|×|1.3|u=arcminute}}

| constellation name = Perseus

| names = {{odlist | IC= 1907 | UGC= 2670 | PGC= 12438 | CGCG= 540-105 | MCG= +07-07-065}}

| size = ~{{convert|39.43|kpc|ly|abbr=on|lk=on|order=flip}} (estimated)

}}

NGC 1278 is an elliptical galaxy located about 230 million light-years away{{Cite web|url=http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/objsearch?objname=NGC+1278&extend=no&hconst=73&omegam=0.27&omegav=0.73&corr_z=1&out_csys=Equatorial&out_equinox=J2000.0&obj_sort=RA+or+Longitude&of=pre_text&zv_breaker=30000.0&list_limit=5&img_stamp=YES|title=Your NED Search Results|website=ned.ipac.caltech.edu|access-date=2018-07-02}} in the constellation Perseus.{{Cite web|url=http://spider.seds.org/ngc/revngcic.cgi?NGC1278|title=Revised NGC Data for NGC 1278|website=spider.seds.org|access-date=2018-07-02}} NGC 1278 was discovered by astronomer Heinrich d'Arrest on February 14, 1863. It was then rediscovered by astronomer Guillaume Bigourdan on October 22, 1884, and later listed as IC 1907.{{Cite web|url=https://cseligman.com/text/atlas/ngc12a.htm#1278|title=New General Catalog Objects: NGC 1250 - 1299|website=cseligman.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-06-15}} NGC 1278 is a member of the Perseus Cluster{{Cite journal|last1=Brunzendorf|first1=J.|last2=Meusinger|first2=H.|date=October 1, 1999|title=The galaxy cluster Abell 426 (Perseus). A catalogue of 660 galaxy positions, isophotal magnitudes and morphological types|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series|language=en|volume=139|issue=1|pages=141–161|doi=10.1051/aas:1999111|issn=0365-0138|bibcode=1999A&AS..139..141B|doi-access=free}} and is a low-luminosity AGN (LLAGN).{{Cite journal|last1=Park|first1=Songyoun|last2=Yang|first2=Jun|last3=Oonk|first3=J. B. Raymond|last4=Paragi|first4=Zsolt|date=2017-03-11|title=Discovery of five low-luminosity active galactic nuclei at the centre of the Perseus cluster|journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society|language=en|volume=465|issue=4|pages=3943–3948|doi=10.1093/mnras/stw3012|doi-access=free |issn=0035-8711|arxiv=1611.05986|bibcode=2017MNRAS.465.3943P|s2cid=53538944}}

One supernova has been observed in NGC 1278: SN{{nbsp}}2016ajf (Type{{nbsp}}Ia-91bg-like, mag. 16.9) was discovered by Kōichi Itagaki on February 18, 2016.{{cite web | website=Transient Name Server | title=SN{{nbsp}}2016ajf | url=https://www.wis-tns.org/object/2016ajf | publisher = IAU | access-date=19 June 2025}}