NGC 5474 is the classic example of a "sloshed" galaxy. As a satellite of M101, it was once thought its core was pulled off center by the gravity of the much larger M101. That's not quite the case. M101's gravity is involved but it is causing the contents of the galaxy to slosh back and forth much like a not congealed egg in a frying pan when the pan is moved back and forth. Note that you can see stars on the "missing" side. Just very few. So it hasn't lost the stars, just moved them to the other side temporarily. Adam Block has a bit more on this subject at: http://www.caelumobservatory.com/obs/n5474.html so I'll let you read it there.

It is classified as Sc? by Seligman and SA(s)cd pec HII by NED. It was first recorded by William Herschel on
This is a very early image of mine before I researched my images and before I really knew what I was doing. I reprocessed it a bit back in 2008 but it needs a lot more work if I ever find the time.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=6x10' RGB=2x10x3, STL-11000XM, Paramount ME