NGC 1278

NGC 1278 is a lenticular galaxy located in the constellation Perseus. It resides within the Perseus Cluster (Abell 426), a galaxy cluster approximately 233 million light-years away from Earth.

As a lenticular galaxy (type S0), NGC 1278 exhibits characteristics intermediate between spiral and elliptical galaxies. It possesses a prominent disk structure but lacks the distinct spiral arms typically seen in spiral galaxies. Like elliptical galaxies, lenticulars tend to contain older stellar populations and have little ongoing star formation.

Observations of NGC 1278 have revealed the presence of a supermassive black hole at its center. Studies of the galaxy's dynamics, particularly the motion of stars near the core, have been used to estimate the black hole's mass. Further research focuses on the interaction of NGC 1278 with the intracluster medium of the Perseus Cluster and its influence on the galaxy's evolution.