Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Draco (Dra)  ·  Contains:  M 102  ·  NGC 5862  ·  NGC 5866  ·  NGC 5870  ·  Spindle galaxy
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M102 - Spindle Galaxy, Kurt Zeppetello
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Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
M102 - Spindle Galaxy, Kurt Zeppetello
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Description

I was finally was able to do some imaging. Since the moon was near Virgo, I pointed the telescope in the other direction and finished the last of the Messier objects near the Big Dipper.

M102 (NGC 5866), also known as the Spindle Galaxy, is an edge-on lenticular galaxy located in the northern constellation Draco at a distance of 50 million light years from Earth. This is a circumpolar galaxy and never sets below the horizon North of 35 degrees. Also of interest, the north celestial pole passes within a degree of M102 every 25,800 years. The galaxy last marked the location of the pole about 6,900 years ago, in 4900 BC, and will do so again in 18,900 years, around 20900 AD (source: Messier Objects).

This is 86 Messier objects and counting...

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M102 - Spindle Galaxy, Kurt Zeppetello

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