Houston, We Have a Problem

Astronauts Skull IllusionA decade ago, back when I was a kid, I used to play this computer game – just a sec – … was it Warcraft II, Civilization maybe? Can’t be to sure about it, but what I remember is that there was a character who kept yelling The end is near! – in sort of dramatical way. Dunno what the connection was, but I remember the atmosphere which reminds me greatly of today’s post.

I almost forgot there was a Skull category on this site (strange things happening with my memory lately). Year ago I promised we had enough of these, but I think its about time we ditch that decision.

Check out the “Earthrise” photo on your right. The original was taken on the Moon surface, and shows two astronauts with Earth in their back. But check again! Is there something disturbing about it? Do you see a skull of some sort? It can’t be human! What is it then? If you had an opportunity to see this illusion through one of our widgets first (Optical Illusion of The Day), you probably have seen the illusion instantaneously!

31 Replies to “Houston, We Have a Problem”

  1. I love the skull illusions. I got hooked on Vanity. Wish I could display them in my office but I got in Dutch when I tried. Ah, well. No accounting for taste.

  2. The guy has just been mirrored- as is incredibly obvious if you look at it- I think you should mention it’s just been shopped, not make out it is the real photo.

    1. It has been digitally altered. If you look at the right astronaut’s backpack, on the square part on the right. It is too clean and sharp because it has been cut out without re-smoothing the edge to blend it. As for the reelection that part of the image is just copied and applied over the mirrored cut out astronaut. Is it quite easy to do. And also there were only ever two astronauts on the moon at a time! So who would be taking the picture!? As the moon lander only had only video cameras on it and they weren’t as good as the still cameras of that decade.

  3. It’s just a photoshop job. The only change is in the face-mask reflection. Look at the controls (?) on the chest, shoulder patches, arm positions, etc.; mirror images. The skull image is pretty clear. Is this a book cover or movie poster? Looks familiar.

  4. You are right about the widget helping with this one but the opposite happened with the camel, I was so busy looking at the pool I didn’t see the camel till I clicked to the bigger image.

  5. Yep, with the widget it’s more like “Oh, now I see.. Two astronauts with Earth on the background!”

    I checked the Skull-label as well, had some real nice ones. I did shiver when I read your post about H.P. Lovecraft and the Call of Cthulhu, but you got shot down in those comments enough to not make that mistake twice. ;)

    Thank you again for all these nice illusions!

  6. Im relatively sure the astronaut has been flipped with photoshop (the creases on the jacket are identical), but it is still a very creepy illusion!

  7. This might have been the best skull illusion i’ve ever seen. it looks natural, but you can still make out the astronauts

  8. … this one is only half the photo, flipped over, with the visor of one of them copied onto the other. nice illusion though, very strong.

  9. In Empire Earth, every time you clicked on a prophet they would say “The end is near!” or some other creepy prophecy.

  10. You dolts actually had to say “That’s Photoshopped” – as if anyone living on the earth in 2010 would ever think it was real. DUH.

  11. Really people are sayong it is a skull, Well people, Look at the eyes, Look down! You will see that it is 2 people! But awesome Illusion!

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