Galaxy
NGC 4945
Barred spiral galaxy · C83 · NGC 4945
Barred spiral galaxy in Centaurus
Photo: ESO · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
NGC 4945, also known as the Gold Dollar Galaxy, 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.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
In your sky
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Key facts
Distance
~17 million light-years
Apparent mag.
+9
Apparent size
23.3′ × 4.0′
Best seen with
Binoculars
Catalogue
C83 · NGC 4945
Did you know
- Listed as Caldwell 83 in the Caldwell catalogue, also known as NGC 4945.
- Found in the constellation Centaurus.
- Within reach of ordinary binoculars under dark skies.
