astronomy

NGC 1255

NGC 1255 is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand NGC 1255 rather than just read about it. In short: NGC 1255 is a barred spiral galaxy approximately 69 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Fornax. Observational history NGC 1255 was discovered by American astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard on August 30, 1883 with the 6-inch refractor at Vanderbilt University.

Key takeaways

NGC 1255 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect NGC 1255 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NGC 1255 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NGC 1255 is a barred spiral galaxy approximately 69 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Fornax.

Observational history

NGC 1255 was discovered by American astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard on August 30, 1883 with the 6-inch refractor at Vanderbilt University. 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'". 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°".

NGC 1255 group NGC 1255 is the namesake of the NGC 1255 group (also known as LGG 86), which contains at least 5 galaxies, including NGC 1201, NGC 1302, UGCA 61, and UGCA 64.

Supernovae Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 1255:

SN 1980O (Type II, mag. 17) was discovered by German astronomer Hans-Emil Schuster with the 1.0-m Schmidt telescope on October 30, 1980. The supernova was located at the following coordinates: RA 03h 13m 27s, Dec -25° 44.50′ (J2000 epoch). By December 30, 1980 the supernova had faded by about 4 magnitudes and showed strong P-Cyg-type profiles. SN 2022ame (Type II, mag. 17.3), was discovered by Kōichi Itagaki on January 27, 2022.

See also Types and morphology of galaxies Classification of supernovae List of NGC objects (1001–2000)

References

External links

NGC 1255 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with NGC 1255

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NGC 1255 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to NGC 1255 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about NGC 1255 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of NGC 1255

In research: NGC 1255 appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses NGC 1255 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: NGC 1255 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 1883, Barred spiral galaxies, Discoveries by Edward Emerson Barnard, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NGC 1255 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study NGC 1255 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NGC 1255 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain NGC 1255 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NGC 1255 in simple terms?

NGC 1255 is a barred spiral galaxy approximately 69 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Fornax. Observational history NGC 1255 was discovered by American astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard on August 30, 1883 with the 6-inch refractor at Vanderbilt University.

Why does NGC 1255 matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study NGC 1255?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on NGC 1255.