Abell 426 — Perseus Cluster

Abell 426, the Perseus Cluster, is one of the most massive and X‑ray luminous galaxy clusters in the nearby universe. It contains hundreds of galaxies embedded in a hot intracluster medium that shines strongly in X‑rays. At the center of the cluster lies NGC 1275 (Perseus A), an active galaxy powered by a supermassive black hole. Although Perseus A is often mentioned together with Abell 426, they are not the same object: NGC 1275 is a single galaxy, while Abell 426 is the entire cluster surrounding it. Deep imaging reveals a rich field of ellipticals and lenticular galaxies, making Abell 426 a key target for studies of galaxy evolution and AGN feedback.