Barred galaxies : Stars and Bars

Bars are prominent features that occur in most disc galaxies and have important dynamical effects on their hosts. This paper describes some of the known properties of bars, illustrating the discussion with images that show the beauty of the galaxies under consideration. The focus of this article is on the evolution of bars and on their influence on the redistribution of matter within galaxies. In this way, bars drive the internal, or secular, evolution of galaxies.