An enigmatic cross-shaped image captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in the Whirlpool Galaxy drew the attention of conspiracy theorists, in no small part due to the fact that the shape in question appears to vaguely resemble a crucifix.
According to the image’s description posted on the space telescope’s official website, hubblesite.org, the "X" silhouette is a product of "absorption by dust and marks the exact position of a black hole which may have a mass equivalent to one-million stars like the sun".
"The darkest bar may be an edge-on dust ring which is 100 light-years in diameter", the description states. "The second bar of the "X" could be a second disk seen edge on, or possibly rotating gas and dust in MS1 intersecting with the jets and ionisation cones".
"Interesting. I’d say X marks the spot, but it does look like a crucifix. In fact, it looks like a figure hanging off of a crucifix…" a user named Loosecannon remarked.
"Wow I guess I've been wrong all these years! This is surely a sign that God exists and he is showing us that heaven resides with the very center of our galaxy. Praise be to God and the holy spirit!" D_monix wrote.
"Look familiar?" MrNice inquired, accompanying his post with the title logo of the cult TV series "X-Files".
"It's a cosmic signpost Indicating that all ways lead to Albuquerque", Foxblack quipped.
