Presented nearly edge on to us in the sky, this 9th mag sliver of light is one of the finest objects in the large sprawling constellation of Centaurus. NGC 4945 is a nearby spiral galaxy around 12 million light years away. It is often overshadowed by the nearby Omega Centauri and Centaurus A, though is without doubt an impressive object in its own right.
The galaxy is unusual in that it contains a bright and active nucleus, which is likely home to a large super-massive black hole.