Zoom on NGC 4710

Zooming into NGC 4710, an edge-on galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices (Berenice's Hair). Cutting right through the centre of the bulge is the galaxy's elongated, luminous disc. When staring directly at the centre of the galaxy, one can detect a faint, ethereal "X"-shaped structure. Such a feature, which astronomers call a "boxy" or “peanut-shaped” bulge, is due to the vertical motions of the stars in the galaxy’s bar and is only evident when the galaxy is seen edge-on. This curiously shaped puff is often observed in spiral galaxies with small bulges and open arms, but is less common in spirals with arms tightly wrapped around a more prominent bulge, such as NGC 4710.