<P> An aster is a cellular structure shaped like a star, formed around each centrosome during mitosis in an animal cell . Astral rays, composed of microtubules, radiate from the centrosphere and look like a cloud . It is one of the variants of microtubules like kinetochore and interpolar microtubules . </P> <P> During mitosis, there are four stages of cell division: Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase . During prophase, two aster - covered centrosomes migrate to opposite sides of the nucleus in preparation of mitotic spindle formation . During metaphase, the kinetochore microtubules connect to the centromere . Afterwards, during anaphase, the kinetochore microtubules pull the chromatids apart into its individual chromosomes and pull them towards the centrosomes, located at opposite ends of the cell . This allows the cell to divide properly with each daughter cell containing full replicas of chromosomes . In some cells, the positions of the asters determine the site of cell divisions . </P>

You would expect to see two asters in a cell that is in metaphase