This edge-on viewpoint makes the galaxyâ€s disk appear as a sharp line through space, with its prominent dust lanes forming thick bands of clouds that obscure our view of the galaxyâ€s glow. If we could fly above the galaxy, viewing it from the top down, we would see this dust scattered across UGC 10043, possibly outlining its spiral arms. Despite the dustâ€s obscuring nature, some active star-forming regions shine out from behind the dark clouds. We can also see that the galaxyâ€s center sports a glowing, almost egg-shaped ‘bulgeâ€, rising far above and below the disk. All spiral galaxies have a bulge similar to this one as part of their structure. These bulges hold stars that orbit the galactic center on paths above and below the whirling disk; itâ€s a feature that isnâ€t normally obvious in pictures of galaxies. The unusually large size of this bulge compared to the galaxyâ€s disk is possibly due to UGC 10043 siphoning material from a nearby dwarf galaxy. This may also be why its disk appears warped, bending up at one end and down at the other.
