NGC1493 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation of Horologium. Its velocity with respect to the cosmic microwave background is 1004 ñ 4km/s, which corresponds to a Hubble distance of . In addition, six non redshift measurements give a closer distance of . The galaxy was discovered by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop on 2 September 1826.
The SIMBAD database lists NGC1493 as a Seyfert II Galaxy, i.e. it has a quasar-like nucleus with very high surface brightnesses whose spectra reveal strong, high-ionisation emission lines, but unlike quasars, the host galaxy is clearly detectable.
Eskridge, Frogel, and Pogge published a paper in 2002 describing the morphology of 205 closely spaced spiral or lenticular galaxies. The observations were made in the H-band of the infrared and in the B-band (blue). Eskridge and colleagues described NGC 1493 as a:
According to A.M. Garcia, NGC 1493 is the namesake of the NGC 1493 galaxy group (also known as LGG 106). This group contains six galaxies, including , NGC 1483, , PGC 13979, and PGC 14125.
One supernova has been observed in NGC 1493. SN 2024abfo (TypeII, mag. 16.793) was discovered by ATLAS on 15 November 2024.