C83 · galaxy

NGC 4945

NGC 4945 is a widely-studied barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Centaurus, visible near the optical double star Xi Centauri.

RA13h 05m 27sDec−49° 28' 04"

Image: ESO. CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation: C83
All designations: C83 · NGC 4945
Object type: Galaxy
Constellation: Centaurus
Best viewing: Spring

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000): 13h 05m 27s
Declination (J2000): −49° 28' 04"
Apparent magnitude (V): —
Distance: —
Redshift (z): 0.001878

III

Visibility tonight

The science

NGC 4945 is a widely-studied barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Centaurus, visible near the optical double star Xi Centauri. It is also known as Caldwell 83. The galaxy was discovered by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop in 1826. It is located at a distance of approximately 11.0 million light-years (3.36 Mpc) from the Milky Way. NGC 4945 hosts one of the closest active galactic nuclei to Earth and is classified as a Seyfert 2 galaxy.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA-4.0