M83 was discovered by Abbe Nicholas Louis de la Caille at the Cape of Good Hope on February 23, 1752; it was his object Lacaille I.6. Thus it became the first galaxy to be discovered beyond the Local Group, and the third of all galaixes, after M31 and M32. It was next cataloged by Charles Messier on February 17, 1781.

M83 was classified as intermediate between normal and barred spiral galaxies. It is magnificient galaxy, with very well defined spiral arms and displays a very dynamic appearance, appealing by the red and blue knots tracing the arms. The red knots are apparently diffuse gaseous nebulae in which star formation is just taking place, and which are excited to shine by its very hot young stars. The blue regions represent young stellar populations which have formed shortly (i.e., some million or some dozens of million years ago). Between the pronounced spiral arms are regions with fewer stars. Dark dust lanes follow the spiral structure throughout the disk, and may be traced well into the central region to the nucleus, which has only 20" diameter. This nucleus shows strong emission lines. It is composed of an older yellowish stellar population which dominates the whole central region, and extends along the barlike structure.

This galaxy is sometimes called the "Southern Pinwheel". It forms a small physical group, the M83 group, with the peculiar radio galaxy Centaurus A (NGC 5128) and the unusual galaxy NGC 5253 in Centaurus.

M83 is one of the showpieces in the southern deep sky, but difficult for mid-northern observers.
From Croatia (45°N) I have spotted only core sorrounded by the very faint glow.