Pareidolia: Taking a Look at a Nebula:

To me, this giant cloud looks a little like the towering troll from The Hobbit (the troll is in the center and its arms are the dust clouds on either side). However, when looking at this nebula, most people see something besides a troll. In fact, this nebula has been named after what people see when they look at it. Any guesses as to what the most fitting name would be?

Ultimately, Pareidolia (in essence, seeing meaningful images from random data) is rather common, and it often has an impact on astronomy.

Learn the name of this nebula, and find out more about Pareidolia, at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/taking-a-peep-at-the-horse-in-the-horsehead-nebula/

Image source:
NASA