From 2MASS infra-red photometry we find two red clump ( RC ) populations co-existing in fields toward the Galactic bulge at latitudes |b| > 5.5 ^ { \circ } , ranging over \sim 13 ^ { \circ } in longitude and 20 ^ { \circ } in latitude .
These RC peaks indicate two stellar populations separated by \sim 2.3 kpc ; at ( l,b ) = ( +1 , -8 ) the two RCs are located at 6.5 and 8.8 \pm 0.2 kpc .
The double-peaked RC is inconsistent with a tilted bar morphology .
Most of our fields show the two RCs at roughly constant distance with longitude , also inconsistent with a tilted bar ; however , an underlying bar may be present .

Stellar densities in the two RCs changes dramatically with longitude : on the positive longitude side the foreground RC is dominant , while the background RC dominates negative longitudes .
A line connecting the maxima of the foreground and background populations is tilted to the line of sight by \sim 20 \pm 4 ^ { \circ } , similar to claims for the tilt of a Galactic bar .
The distance between the two RCs decreases towards the Galactic plane ; seen edge-on the bulge is X-shaped , resembling some extra-galactic bulges and the results of N-body simulations .
The center of this X is consistent with the distance to the Galactic center , although better agreement would occur if the bulge is 2–3 Gyr younger than 47 Tuc .

Our observations may be understood if the two RC populations emanate , nearly tangentially , from the Galactic bar ends , in a funnel shape .
Alternatively , the X , or double funnel , may continue to the Galactic center .
From the Sun this would appear peanut/box shaped , but X-shaped when viewed tangentially .