There's a giant question mark in space. No, really...

[Retro]

Here it is in all its questiony goodness, and no, it's not fake:

Astronomers are scratching their heads after the James Webb Space Telescope captured a puzzling cosmic formation.

The European Space Agency has released an image of two young stars forming 1,470 light years away from Earth.

But among the image is an object that looks like a giant cosmic question mark.

Scientists say it's not likely to be a message from the universe but rather a more reasonable explanation.

Oh damn! And there's me thinking it's awiens.

James Webb Telescope: What is this giant question mark in space?

The cosmic question mark captured by the James Webb Telescope has left many astronomers puzzled

www.bbc.co.uk

I think this one beats the "face on Mars".

 

[Mars]

Here it is in all its questiony goodness, and no, it's not fake:


View attachment 1466





Oh damn! And there's me thinking it's awiens.

James Webb Telescope: What is this giant question mark in space?

The cosmic question mark captured by the James Webb Telescope has left many astronomers puzzled

www.bbc.co.uk

I think this one beats the "face on Mars".

True, at first sight it does look like it is aliens, sorry, awiens; but thinking about it, it is actually not so strange.
It may well be two galaxies merging, as scientists think, but it may also be that the two parts of the question mark have actually nothing at all to do with each other.

The 'dot' and the 'hook' parts of the image look as if they are closely interacting; while in reality, due to the astronomical distances involved, they may well be, physically, way away and behind each other, millions of miles apart.

That questiony image we see may just be due to the way distant images' relation to each other is compressed/distorted, when viewed from a great distance.
And we are talking some Distance here.....

 

[TheURL]

I think it would be better if there was an Interrobang symbol up there!

 

[Mars]

I think it would be better if there was an Interrobang symbol up there!

Well, there may well be one up there, waiting to be discovered; you never know.

 

[TheURL]

Pretty sure I saw a full stop the another night!

 

[Mars]

Pretty sure I saw a full stop the another night!

No kidding!!! In fact, I think I saw a comma right next to your full stop

 

[TheURL]

Hmm maybe - or it could just have been part of a semi colon.

 

[Retro]

When I see the octothorpe / hash symbol - # - I'm gonna call it awiens, no messin'.

 

[Mars]

Hmm maybe - or it could just have been part of a semi colon.

You know? now that you said it, I wonder, was it a comma or was it a semi colon....?
I mean it was just too far away for me to see clearly.
I shall never know now

 

[TheURL]

I've never been that interested in astronomy before but now I appreciate the subject is punctuated by exotic symbols I shall be up all night now!

 

[Mars]

I've never been that interested in astronomy before but now I appreciate the subject is punctuated by exotic symbols I shall be up all night now!

ahhh yes, punctuating marks, yes indeed. I was always interested in Grammar

 

[live627]

The Riddler was there xD

 

[Retro]

I've never been that interested in astronomy before...

Wot?!! Heathen!