At first this optical illusion looks like the earth from space… but you’ll soon work out what it REALLY is

• An incredible optical illusion has astounded social media – what do YOU see? 
• Read more: Can YOU spot the Copperhead snake hiding in plain sight? 

A beautiful optical illusion has left Twitter users stunned. 

The image appears to show the Earth from space as if it was taken from an orbiting satellite. 

But while it might have you thinking of the cosmos – or the Universal Pictures opening credits – it’s actually a picture of something very different.

The photo has grabbed the attention of social media users, including Flat Earthers, who have said that the curve of the Earth is ‘going the wrong way’. 

The otherworldly image has stumped people online. But can you tell what it really is?  

The image appears to show the Earth from space but on second glance is actually a picture of something quite different

Users were stunned by the beautiful picture, which is actually a cityscape that has been rotated 

Some suggested it looked like the Universal Pictures opening credits. 

The skyline picture, which has been rotated, is actually an image of city buildings in low light – and was not taken from space. 

The cirrus clouds and city lights help to obfuscate what the picture shows, as the office lights look like stars.   

One user said she couldn’t see either the curve of the Earth from space or the cityscape, saying: ‘It’s all abstract except for some cirrus clouds!’

The picture is actually of a city in low light, with office and house lights imitating stars. If you look closely, you can see skyscrapers 

Another said he’d had to turn his phone around to see the city skyline. 

Optical illusions like this one happen when your brain tries to make sense of the world quickly. Often it will come to a fast first conclusion before you realise what you are really seeing.

Reflexes like this would have helped to keep our early ancestors alive in encounters with fast predators but optical illusions ‘hack’ them, leaving us feeling rather foolish!

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