Chinese moon rover trade fair backdrop shows Europe being 'nuked'

IT'S supposed to be a sign of things to come: A model of China's Moon rover sitting against a backdrop of the Earth. Why is there a nuclear explosion over Europe?

IT'S supposed to be a sign of things to come: A model of China's Moon rover sitting against a backdrop of the Earth. Why is there a nuclear explosion over Europe?

The otherwise nondescript background image has stolen attention away from China's first "giant leap" into space.

The gold-covered, moon-roving Yutu ('Jade Rabbit') craft sits on its soily surface at a Shanghai Idustry Fair.

But it is the mushroom cloud over Europe that is catching all the eyes.

Is it a deliberate message?

Or a profound PR mistake?

A nuclear explosion rises above Europe in the top right of the above picture which shows a model of a lunar rover known as The Yutu, or Jade Rabbit on display at the China International Industry Fair 2013. AFP /Peter PARKS

Hopefully it is the latter.

It appears the exhibit's creators used a piece of stock art from a group called SNORN. They describe the image as "a nice wallpaper and stock photo for your computer desktop."

The Chang'e-3 probe, carrying Yutu, was launched on December 2, and landed on the Moon's surface at the weekend.

It was the first successful moon landing in over three decades.

The Jade Rabbit moon rover, right, and the Chang'e-3 probe lander, left, taken by each other on December 15, 2013.