Based on a recessional velocity of 25190 km/sec, a straightforward calculation indicates that IC 2900 is about 1.15 billion light years away. However, for objects at that distance we need to take the expansion of the Universe during their light-travel time into account. Doing that shows that the galaxy was about 1.05 billion light years away at the time the light by which we see it was emitted, about 1.1 billion years ago (the difference between the two numbers being due to the expansion of the Universe during that interval). Given that and its apparent size of 0.3 by 0.25 arcmins, the galaxy is about 90 thousand light years across. (Note: the galaxy classification is either not listed, or is listed as elliptical elsewhere; but the images below show that it is a spiral, so I have changed the description to match the image.)

About 40 by 20 arcmin, per Steinicke; 3rd-magnitude λ Centauri at its center. Steinicke lists IC 2944 as the Running Chicken Nebula, but other sources assign that name to the much larger IC 2948, and there is no obvious reason for the region to be associated with a fowl of any sort, so which if either deserves the apparently useless appellation is not clear. (Note: Thackeray's Globules, supposedly in IC 2944, appear to actually be in IC 2948; so for now, see that entry for images of them.)

Steinicke lists IC 2944 as the Running Chicken Nebula, but other sources assign that name to the much larger IC 2948, and there is no obvious reason for the region to be associated with a fowl of any sort, so which if either deserves the apparently useless appellation is not clear. Dark globules near the center of IC 2948 are examples of "Bok globules", but are called Thackeray's Globules, after their discoverer in this particular nebula. There appears to be some confusion about which part of this and the companion nebula, IC 2944, is which. The HST image below is labeled as being in IC 2944 in every reference I've seen, but the region shown is actually near the center of IC 2948. This confusion will hopefully be resolved when I post the history of the IC listing.