NGC 493, also occasionally referred to as PGC 4979 or GC 281, is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Cetus.

[1] It is located approximately 90 million light-years from Earth and was discovered on December 20, 1786 by astronomer William Herschel.

[2] It was later also observed by his son, John Herschel.

John Dreyer, creator of the New General Catalogue, described the galaxy as "very faint, large, much extended 60°" with "a little brighter middle".

[3] Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 493: