[9] This galaxy is located at a distance of 36 million light years and is receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 596 km/s.

[4] The morphological class of this galaxy is Sdm:,[3] indicating it is a spiral (S) with disorganized, irregular arms and no central bulge (dm).

[3] When images of NGC 959 are corrected for the effects of extinction from dust, a central bar feature can be discerned.

The galaxy then shows a non-negligible bulge or central condensation, and may instead have a morphological type of SBcd.

[5] It displays a cuspy central density profile and bulge-like monotonic decrease in ellipticity toward the core.