Messier's list comprises one hundred and three objects. For all of them, positions are given, except for 102 and 103. For these only the descriptions are given, as follows:Shapley and Davis remark that "The visual observations of these neighboring nebulae by the Herschels show N.G.C. 5866 much the brighter, and its identity with M 102 can be accepted as quite probable."102. Nebuleuse entre les etoiles Omicron du Bouvier and [sic!] Jota du Dragon; elle est tres-faible; pres d'elle est une etoile de la sixieme grandeur [Nebula betrween the stars Omicron Bootis and Jota Draconis; it is very faint; near it is a star of sixth magnitude].
103. Amas d'etoiles entre Epsilon et Delta de la jambe de Cassiopeia [Cluster of stars between Epsilon and Delta Cassiopeiae].
By a star chart, or the sky, you will see that, taken as it stands, no object could be well selected for M102, since Omicron Bootis is too far from Jota Draconis. If, however, Omicron is a misprint for Theta, it becomes intelligible, and M102 is perhaps N.G.C. 5866, altho in Norton's Atlas it is apparently identified as N.G.C. 5979. On our photographs, however, N.G.C. 5866 appears to be the brightest object in this region.
M 102 = NGC 5866, Type S [galaxy], [No other data], Notes: `= M 101'Perhaps this reflects the situation :-)
``Messier's list contains as its object 102 a galaxy [it's the first time I hear that Messier did know that - hf] near the position of NGC 5866. However, his description points to a duplication of M101 [I cannot verify this, see both descriptions given above; my impression is more that NGC 5866 might match the description - hf]. Did Messier do a mistake of 1 hour in right ascension [How, as he gave no measured position :-) - hf] ? Therefore, the designation M102 is nonunique.''
`A small but brightish nebula on the belly of Draco with four small stars spreading across field N of it. Doubt as to wether this is the nebula discovered by Méchain in 1781 since Messier describes it as ``very faint'', situated between Omicron Bootis and Iota Draconis. If Omicron Bootis should be Theta Bootis, this is probably the object seen by Méchain and J.H.'s 1910, being the brightest nebula of five in that vicinity.'The problem is that John Herschel's number 1910 is NGC 5879, which is however not the brightest of the group; the brightest is NGC 5866.
RA (2000.0) Dec (2000) mag Sp Id 23 Theta Boo 14:25:11.8 +51:51:03 4.10v F7V HR 5404, GC 19467, HD 126660, SAO 29137 HR 5442 14:32:30.9 +55:23:52 5.76 K5III GC 19627, HD 128000, SAO 29191 HR 5451 14:34:16.0 +57:03:55 6.48 F7V GC 19666, HD 128332, SAO 29202 HR 5467 14:38:15.2 +54:01:24 5.85 A1V GC 19742, HD 128998, SAO 29227 HD 133666 15:03:21.6 +56:02:06 6.86 K2 SAO 29393 HD 134023 15:05:23.7 +55:40:38 7.5 F8 SAO 29401 * HR 5635 15:06:16.7 +54:33:23 5.25 G8III GC 20332, HD 134190, SAO 29407 HR 5715 15:20:05.1 +51:57:31 5.60 A4V GC 20641, HD 136729, SAO 29487 12 Iota Dra 15:24:55.8 +58:57:58 3.29 K2III Edasich, GC 20747, HD 137759, SAO 29520
Last Modification: March 7, 2006