M102 - Galaxy in Draco

The Messier Ten Minute Challenge

M102 - Galaxy in Draco

There are two views on the identity of M102. but on balance there is
sufficient evidence that Méchain and Messier intended NGC 5866 to be
the galaxy listed.

http://www.martin-nicholson.info/ten...lenge/m102.htm


Martin Nicholson, Daventry, England.

My website is at http://www.martin-nicholson.info/1/1a.htm
My informal Astronomical Blog is at http://ukastronomy.livejournal.com/

In article
s.com, ukastronomy writes
M102 - Galaxy in Draco

There are two views on the identity of M102. but on balance there is
sufficient evidence that Méchain and Messier intended NGC 5866 to be
the galaxy listed.

All in a chorus here : OH no there isn't!

Mechain in a letter later stated quite clearly that M102 was a mistake
and that it is a duplicate of M101. What more do we want than a clear
cut letter that makes it understood there is no M102? This perpetual
myth keeps on going like the duracell bunny! I wonder if anyone here
wrote a letter clearly explaining they had made a mistake then were able
to time travel forwards only to find to their horror that no matter how
clear their explanation that their letter was ignored just to perpetuate
a myth - in this case that there has to be a M102.

Just my two pennies worth :-)

Paul
--
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