Maffei 1 inowanikwa 0.55° chete kubva kugalactic plane pakati penzvimbo yekudzivisa uye inotambura ne4.7 magnitudes yekutsakatika (chikamu cheinenge 1/70) muchiedza chinoonekwa. Kuwedzera pakutsakatika, kucherechedzwa kweMaffei 1 kunotadziswazve nenyaya yekuti yakafukidzwa nemamiririyadhi enyeredzi dzisina kujeka dzeMilky Way, dzinogona kuvhiringidzwa zviri nyore neyayo. Semhedzisiro, kuona chinhambwe chayo kwave kwakaoma zvikuru. Muna 1971, nguva pfupi mushure mekuwanikwa kwayo, Hyron Spinrad akafungidzira chinhambwe cheMaffei 1 pa1 Mpc, izvo zvaizoisa mukati meBoka reMunharaunda remapoka enyeredzi. Muna 1983 kufungidzira uku kwakagadziridzwa kusvika pa2.1 Mpc−0.8 naRonald B. McCall uye Marshall vachishandisa hukama hwakajairika pakati pechiedza uye kupararira kwechiedza (chikamu cheinenge 1/70) muchiedza chinoonekwa. Kuwedzera pakutsakatika, kucherechedzwa kweMaffei 1 kunotambiswa nenyaya yekuti yakafuk
Gore ra1971