Messier 102 is a spiral galaxy located approximately 39 million light-years away in the constellation Camelopardalis. It was cataloged by the French astronomer Charles Messier in 1781, although its identification has been a subject of debate among astronomers. The galaxy is also known as NGC 5866 and is characterized by its bright central bulge and a prominent dust lane that runs along its disk. Messier 102 is part of the Messier catalog, which includes various astronomical objects, and is often studied for its structure and star formation activities.