NGC 345

NGC 345 is a spiral galaxy located approximately 230 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus. It was discovered on September 27, 1864, by Albert Marth. The galaxy is classified as a Seyfert galaxy, meaning it possesses an active galactic nucleus (AGN) characterized by strong emission lines in its spectrum. These emission lines are produced by gas that is heated by the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center.

NGC 345 is a relatively faint galaxy, with an apparent magnitude of around 14. It appears as a small, diffuse patch of light in telescopic images. Its spiral structure is not particularly well-defined, and it is considered a challenging object to observe even with moderately sized telescopes.

The galaxy is part of a small group of galaxies, sometimes referred to as the NGC 345 group. The interactions with other galaxies in its group may contribute to its active galactic nucleus.

Studying NGC 345 and other Seyfert galaxies allows astronomers to learn more about the processes that occur in the centers of galaxies, including the accretion of matter onto supermassive black holes and the subsequent release of energy in the form of radiation and jets. The distance to the galaxy, though approximated through redshift measurements, makes precise measurements of certain properties difficult. Further study might reveal more details about its morphological features and the dynamics within its active galactic nucleus.