# What the heck is the Wikipedia background image? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 9, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840 "2007-11-09T22:22:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/1 "2007-11-09T22:22:19Z")
Ever noticed how when you click a Wikipedia link, this weird background image appears for a second before the text covers it? I’ve been racking my brains trying to figure out what it is. I even went to the trouble to make a [screenshot](http://www.flickr.com/photos/19423801@N05/1936735099/) (if the link doesn’t work, copy the link address and put it in your browser’s address bar). Any ideas? Am I missing something totally obvious? ---
**Author:** ![Ardrine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@Ardrine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ardrine)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/2 "2007-11-09T22:23:45Z")
I think it’s an open book. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/3 "2007-11-09T22:24:13Z")
A stylized book, with rays of knowledge eminating from it? ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/4 "2007-11-09T22:24:59Z")
I agree: The spine of an open book, viewed from the side. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/5 "2007-11-09T22:29:52Z")
Well, it’s not an open book to me! Ha! But I think you’re right. I guess this should be turned into a poll: am I the only one to failed to see that? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/6 "2007-11-09T22:36:33Z")
Possibly. 🙂 It isn’t stylized at all. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/7 "2007-11-09T22:48:58Z")
I just thought it was a thing. A common background for webpages is to use an anonymous thing that just looks pretty. But they’re right, I see now that it is an open book. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/8 "2007-11-09T22:57:50Z")
I still don’t see a book :(. Looks like a mountain with rays of awesome to me. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/9 "2007-11-09T23:14:14Z")
Instead of the screenshot, bring up a wiki page and view the background image (available through the popup menu brought up by a right mouse click in Firefox): [http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/monobook/headbg.jpg](http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/monobook/headbg.jpg) Larger image, viewed in isolation, which makes it easier to see. Not stylized - just grayscaled and decontrasted so as to not be obtrusive. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/10 "2007-11-10T01:37:24Z")
It’s a book. I thought it was a daisy for the longest time. Heh. ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/11 "2007-11-10T01:42:20Z")
I see a pony. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/12 "2007-11-10T02:00:49Z")
[QUOTE=imthjckaz] I see a pony. [/QUOTE] You must be high. It’s clearly a butterfly. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/13 "2007-11-10T04:53:08Z")
[QUOTE=DiosaBellissima] I still don’t see a book :(. Looks like a mountain with rays of awesome to me. [/QUOTE] [http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dhardcover%2Bbook%2Bopen%26ei%3DUTF-8%26js%3D1%26ni%3D18%26fr%3Dyfp-t-471%26b%3D19&w=450&h=320&imgurl=static.flickr.com%2F141%2F382142579\_3acdd0e7ca\_m.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdoriy%2F382142579%2F&size=45.4kB&name=382142579\_3acdd0e7ca.jpg&p=hardcover+book+open&type=jpeg&no=25&tt=205&oid=de2858ad843c74d2&fusr=Doriy.com&tit=382142579\_3acdd0e7ca.jpg&hurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdoriy%2F&ei=UTF-8&src=p](http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dhardcover%2Bbook%2Bopen%26ei%3DUTF-8%26js%3D1%26ni%3D18%26fr%3Dyfp-t-471%26b%3D19&w=450&h=320&imgurl=static.flickr.com%2F141%2F382142579_3acdd0e7ca_m.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdoriy%2F382142579%2F&size=45.4kB&name=382142579_3acdd0e7ca.jpg&p=hardcover+book+open&type=jpeg&no=25&tt=205&oid=de2858ad843c74d2&fusr=Doriy.com&tit=382142579_3acdd0e7ca.jpg&hurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdoriy%2F&ei=UTF-8&src=p) ---
**Author:** ![RGVChicano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@RGVChicano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RGVChicano)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/14 "2007-11-10T12:36:46Z")
I see a book. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/15 "2007-11-10T13:05:57Z")
An open book. How can anybody not see it? Are these the same people who can’t see those 3D images and the Fedex Arrow? ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/16 "2007-11-10T13:23:35Z")
I see it now. Never gave it any thought before. Yep, **panache45** , like the FedEx arrow. ---
**Author:** ![Cowboy8467](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Cowboy8467](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowboy8467)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/17 "2007-11-10T14:33:23Z")
Yes, it is most definitely a book. I recognized it as such probably the first time I saw it. ---
**Author:** ![Montgomery0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@Montgomery0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montgomery0)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/18 "2007-11-10T15:01:26Z")
Okay, it is definitely a book, but which book is it? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/19 "2007-11-10T15:12:56Z")
It’s [MonoBook](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Preferences#Skin). ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/20 "2007-11-10T15:21:13Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] An open book. How can anybody not see it? [/QUOTE] This to me is the interesting part. It seems that if you don’t immediately recognize it as a book, your mind begins to grapple with what it \*could \*be, and will shoot off down a wrong track from which it’s difficult to come back. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840.md?page=2)