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 .
A total area of about 75 square degrees of sky is analysed .
Assuming a non-variable luminosity function within the bulge , we derive the top end of the K -band luminosity function and the stellar density function , whose morphology is fitted to triaxial ellipsoids .

The luminosity function shows a sharp decrease brighter than M _ { K } = -8.0 when compared with the disc population .
By fitting ellipsoids , we find that the bulge is triaxial with the major axis in the plane at an angle with line of sight to the Galactic centre of 12 ^ { \circ } 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 .

The best fit for the stellar density , assuming an ellipsoidal distribution , is D ( t ) = 1.17 ( t / 2180 ) ^ { -1.8 } \exp ( - ( t / 2180 ) ^ { 1.8 } ) { stars pc ^ { -3 } } , for 1300 < t < 3000 , where t is the distance along the major axis of the ellipsoid in parsecs .