The formation of galactic bulges

We summarise some recent results about nearby galactic bulges, relevant to their formation. We highlight a number of significant advances in our understanding of the surface brightness profiles, stellar populations, and especially the very centers of spirals. We also view our own Milky Way as if it were an external galaxy. Our main conclusions are that bulges of early-type spirals (Sb or earlier) contain central point sources, just like late-type spirals and most other types of galaxies. Central point source luminosities correlate best with total bulge luminosity, and not as well with morphological type. Bulges of early-type spiral galaxies follow the fundamental plane and the colour/line strength vs. luminosity relations of elliptical galaxies. Although we have a reasonable idea about bulges of early-type spirals we know much less about late-type bulges. However, the close resemblance of our Milky Way Bulge to early-type external bulges makes us suspect that maybe bulges of late-type spirals might be very similar as well.