De Vaucouleurs Atlas Type: SA0-
Filter: V
Telescope: CTIO 4-m
North up , East left
Field Dimensions: 8.0 x 8.0 arcminutes
RC3 Type: SA0-
RSA Type: S01(5)
Surface Brightness Range Displayed: 15.0-26.1 mag per square arcsec
Absolute Blue Magnitude: -18.1
De Vaucouleurs Atlas Description: NGC 5102 is well-known as one of the nearest S0 galaxies . It is also one of the most peculiar S0s known because it has a blue bulge as opposed to a normal red bulge. Thus, NGC 5102 is an S0 including active star formation in its central region. A recent study of this star formation is provided by Deharveng et al. (1997).
NGC 5102 has all the characteristics of a normal S0: a three-zone structure in the form of a bright nucleus, a faint inner lens , and a very extended disk component. There is also a faint trace of an outer ring in the extended disk. This feature is barely distiguishable against the bright background.