Observer's guide
About NGC 4945
NGC 4945 (C83) is catalogued as a galaxy in Centaurus. Its J2000 position is RA 13:05:27, Dec -49:28:05, corresponding to 196.3637 degrees RA and -49.4679 degrees Dec. The local catalogue places it about 17,000,000 light-years away. Its referenced angular extent is approximately 20.42 by 4.27 arcminutes.
Observing tips
StarWatchr rates this as a hard target at magnitude 9.3. It is associated with spring observing, with midnight placement typically strongest around April. From 52 degrees north its theoretical meridian altitude is about 0 degrees; local horizons and the live altitude chart determine the practical window.
Because it is faint, use a larger aperture where possible, avoid bright Moon conditions, and use averted vision.
What to expect
The SIMBAD classification for the matched source is Sy2. SIMBAD records the morphology as SB(s)cd?edge. A published radial velocity value is 676.5 km/s. The SIMBAD record currently connects it to 1596 bibliographic references.
Its roughly 20.4 arcminute span suits a medium field of view. Use the listed 20.42 by 4.27 arcminute extent to check framing, and treat catalogue magnitude as integrated brightness rather than a direct measure of visual contrast.