NGC 4945
NGC 4945 image take by the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at La Silla Observatory
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationCentaurus
Right ascension13h 05m 27.5s[1]
Declination−49° 28′ 06″[1]
Redshift563 ± 3 km/s[1]
Distance11.7 Mly (3.6 Mpc)[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)9.3[1]
Characteristics
TypeSB(s)cd[1]
Apparent size (V)20.0′ × 3.8′[1]
Other designations
PGC 45279,[1] Caldwell 83
The location of NGC 4945 (labelled in red)

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]

Galaxy group

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]

In popular culture

NGC 4945 is the title of a song by Brett Domino on the album "Funk".

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 4945. Retrieved 2006-11-25.
  2. ^ a b I. D. Karachentsev; M. E. Sharina; A. E. Dolphin; E. K. Grebel; et al. (2002). "New distances to galaxies in the Centaurus A group". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 385 (1): 21–31. Bibcode:2002A&A...385...21K. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20020042.
  3. ^ http://www.docdb.net/show_object.php?id=ngc_4945, NGC 4945 : DOCdb :Deep Sky Observer's Companion – the online database
  4. ^ "Milky Way's Not-So-Distant Cousin Likely Harbors Supermassive Black Hole". Science Daily.
  5. ^ Gaspar, G.; Díaz, R. J.; Mast, D.; Agüero, M. P.; Schirmer, M.; Günthardt, G.; Schmidt, E. O. (2022). "An Infrared View of the Obscured AGN Environment in NGC 4945". The Astronomical Journal. 163 (5): 230. arXiv:2203.03678. Bibcode:2022AJ....163..230G. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ac5ea4. S2CID 247315251.
  6. ^ Graham, Alister W. (November 2008), "Populating the Galaxy Velocity Dispersion - Supermassive Black Hole Mass Diagram: A Catalogue of (Mbh, σ) Values", Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 25 (4): 167–175, arXiv:0807.2549, Bibcode:2008PASA...25..167G, doi:10.1071/AS08013, S2CID 89905.
  7. ^ Transient Name Server entry for SN 2005af. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  8. ^ Transient Name Server entry for SN 2011ja. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  9. ^ I. D. Karachentsev (2005). "The Local Group and Other Neighboring Galaxy Groups". Astronomical Journal. 129 (1): 178–188. arXiv:astro-ph/0410065. Bibcode:2005AJ....129..178K. doi:10.1086/426368. S2CID 119385141.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to NGC 4945.


Caldwell catalogue
New General Catalogue 4500 to 4999
Constellation of Centaurus
Authority control databases: National
Categories