M 102
Galaxy M102
Evidently, M102 is the last possibly `missing',
or doubty, Messier object. This means that two opinions on the identity of
this object are common:
- M102 may be a duplication of the
Spiral Galaxy
M101 (NGC 5457)
in Ursa Major,
due to an error of either the catalog author Messier,
or its `discoverer' Mechain.
- M102 may be the
Lenticular Galaxy
NGC 5866
in Draco,
also sometimes called the Spindle Galaxy,
as Messier's catalog description indicates.
Some details on this topic are discussed here.
M 102