NGC 1255 is a barred spiral galaxy approximately 69 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Fornax.
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 315ð".
Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 1255: