NGC 1
spiral galaxy in the constellation Pegasus
NGC 1 is an intermediate spiral galaxy of the morphological type Sbc, located in the constellation of Pegasus. It was discovered on 30 September 1861 by Heinrich d'Arrest.
Observation history
Heinrich d'Arrest discovered NGC 1 on 30 Sep 1861 while testing the 11-inch f/17.5 Merz refractor of the Copenhagen Observatory. He missed nearby NGC 2. This was d'Arrest's first deep sky discovery, though he was uncertain if his object was identical to h4 or h5 (both of which refer to NGC 16). His descriptions (combination of 4 observations) read "faint, small, round, 20", no concentration. In a straight line connecting two stars 11 and 14 mag." Herman Schultz observed NGC 1 three times in 1866 and 1868 with a 9.6-inch refractor at Uppsala and he also missed fainter NGC 2. The NGC 1 and 2 pair are not physically related. NGC 1 lies at a distance of about 200 million light-years (61 Mpc) with NGC 2 at roughly 320 million light-years (98 Mpc).
The initial observers missed NGC 2, which is much fainter.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “NGC 1” is spiral galaxy in the constellation Pegasus. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through spiral, galaxy and constellation, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “spiral galaxy in the constellation Pegasus” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 3, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q15765. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1861, 1866 and 1868.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “NGC 1”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow NGC 1 primary sources, NGC 1 archive and spiral research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “NGC 1”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “NGC 1” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.