NGC 4945 | |
---|---|
Observation data ( J2000 epoch) | |
Constellation | Centaurus |
Right ascension | 13h 05m 27.5s [1] |
Declination | −49° 28′ 06″ [1] |
Redshift | 563 ± 3 km/ s [1] |
Distance | 11.7 Mly (3.6 Mpc) [2] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 9.3 [1] |
Characteristics | |
Type | SB(s)cd [1] |
Apparent size (V) | 20.0′ × 3.8′ [1] |
Other designations | |
PGC 45279, [1] Caldwell 83 |
NGC 4945 (also known as Caldwell 83) is a
barred spiral galaxy in the
constellation
Centaurus, visible near the star
Xi Centauri.
[3] The galaxy was discovered by
James Dunlop in 1826 and is thought to be similar to the
Milky Way Galaxy, although X-ray observations show that NGC 4945 has an unusual energetic
Seyfert 2 nucleus that might house a
supermassive black hole.
[4] Around the nucleus of the galaxy, there is a dense disk of dust and gas, along with many dense star clusters.
[5] This object has an estimated mass of 1.4+1.4
−0.7×1011
M☉.
[6]
Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 4945: SN 2005af ( Type II, mag. 12.8), [7] and SN 2011ja (type IIP, mag. 14). [8]
NGC 4945 one of the brightest galaxies of the Centaurus A/M83 Group, a large, nearby group of galaxies. The galaxy is the second brightest galaxy in the subgroup centered on Centaurus A. [2] [9]
NGC 4945 is the title of a song by Brett Domino on the album "Funk".