About Perseus A
Description
Perseus A (NGC 1275) is a giant elliptical galaxy at the center of the Perseus Cluster (Abell 426), about 240 million light-years away. It hosts a powerful active galactic nucleus and is one of the strongest radio sources in the sky (3C 84).
Observing Tips
Visible as a small, bright, round glow in an 8-inch telescope. The surrounding Perseus Cluster galaxies can be spotted with larger apertures. Located in Perseus, best observed in autumn and winter evenings at medium magnification.
History
Cataloged by Heinrich Louis d'Arrest in 1863. Its powerful radio emission was discovered in the early days of radio astronomy. Chandra X-ray Observatory revealed enormous cavities in the hot intracluster gas inflated by jets from the central black hole.
Fun Facts
Sound waves generated by the central black hole create pressure ripples in the surrounding hot gas. In 2003, astronomers translated this to a musical note: B-flat, 57 octaves below middle C — the deepest note ever detected in the universe.
Observe
1Properties
Position & Identifiers
2How easy to spot?
| Telescope | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 mm refractor 80mm refr. | Hard+ | Hard | Hard |
| 150 mm Newton 150mm Newt. | Medium+ | Medium | Medium |
| Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm | Easy | Medium+ | Medium |
Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs
3Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
4
Eyepiece View
Perseus A · 2.2′×1.4′ · N up, E left
5
Best Magnification
Explore
6
Surface Brightness
7
Morphology Decoder
8
Inclination & True Shape
9
Redshift
10
Size Comparator
Discover
11
Light Travel Time Machine
12
Relativistic Travel
Community Photos (1)
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026
Nearby in the Sky
Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.
Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.
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