Abstract

The bulge of the Galaxy is analysed by inverting K-band star counts from the Two-Micron Galactic Survey in a number of off-plane regions. Assuming a non-variable luminosity function within the bulge, we derive the top end of the K-band luminosity function, which shows a sharp decrease brighter than M K = —8.0 when compared with the disc population, and the stellar density function, whose morphology is fitted to triaxial ellipsoids with the major axis in the plane at an angle with line of sight to the Galactic centre of 12° in the first quadrant. The axial ratios are 1: 0.54: 0.33 and the distance of the Sun from the centre of the triaxial ellipsoid is 7860 pc.

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