M54 is one of the brighter globular clusters in the sky. Although this cluster is bright, it is small and could be mistaken for a star in binoculars. M54 is estimated to be about 60,000 light years from Earth. Some controversy has recently surfaced about this cluster. Some astronomers believe that it may not be a part of our galaxy at all, but of a newly discovered dwarf galaxy. If this turns out to be true, its distance from Earth could be as much as 80,000 light years. It would also be the first extragalactic globular cluster to ever be discovered.