Image of the North Pole With the Moon at its Closest Point

Summary:
An image circulating via email and online is claimed to be a photograph of the North Pole that captures the moon at its closest point and shows the sun below the moon (Full commentary below).



Status:
False

Example:(Submitted, February 2006)


Commentary:
This beautiful image circulates via email and is often posted to online forums and blogs. Although it is certainly a breathtaking picture it is a work of art, not a photograph.

The image is in fact a work by artist Inga Nielsen. The image, called "Hideaway" can be viewed on the artist's website.

The image was created using a scenery generator program called Terragen™

Before its origins were finally revealed, the image created a lot of online debate. A discussion about the image on the Hoax-Slayer Forums was very illuminating. A number of quite knowledgeable forum members posted material that convincingly argued that the image was artwork, not a photograph. You can view this discussion by accessing the thread on the Hoax-Slayer Forums.

Update:
"Hideaway" was featured as the NASA'S Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) for the 20th June 2006. Inga Nielsen has also published a news update about how the artwork gained its urban legend status. According to the artist, someone "cut out my name, called the image "Sunset at the north pole" and told everyone it was a photograph."

References:
Art of Inga Nielsen
Inga Nielsen Gallery: Hideaway
Terragen™
Hoax-Slayer Forums Discussion
Inga Nielsen News
APOD: 2006 June 20 - Hideaway

Last updated: 21st June 2006
First published: 14th February 2006

Write-up by Brett M.Christensen