What can be seen with a 4.5" telescope I just got a 4.5" Newtonian reflector.  The skies haven't been clear where I live lately so I've only been able to use it to see the moon and Jupiter (I was also able to see the Galilean moons).  A friend of mine with a similar telescope says he can see Saturn with its rings and the phases of Venus with his telescope.  I am wondering what else I can see with a telescope my size, specifically which Messier objects I can see with my telescope.  I live in a suburban area near a small urban area and so light pollution is a concern but I have access to darker skies close by.
The aperture of your 4.5" telescope is one thing, it's also important what focal length you have. Is it a f/5 or rather a f/8? The f/8 would be suitable for viewing the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, maybe even Mars and Venus. You can also buy a good solar filter, attach it in the front of the optical tube assembly, and view the sun. But be careful with that, and inform yourself beforehand! Your eyesight might be in danger otherwise. For the Moon it is advisable to buy a neutral grey filter, because it is also very, very bright.

As for the Messier objects: you can probably view the larger ones. The Ring nebula (M57) will be tough, because it is very small and faint. But open clusters, globular clusters and Andromeda's core will be possible. A few bright nebulas will also be possible, like M42 (Orion Nebula).

There is a good list of all Messier objects over at Astropixels. You should try objects of magnitude 4 or better, and that have a size of more than 5 arcminutes. Otherwise they may be too dim or small to find.