Mars Orbital Camera's 2001 image of the 'face'

The Face on Mars is a large feature on the surface of the planet Mars located in the Cydonia region, thought by many to resemble a human face. It measures approximately 3 km long and 1.5 km across and lies some 10 degrees North of the Martian equator. It was first photographed on July 25, 1976 by the Viking 1 space probe orbiting the planet at the time. It was brought to the attention of the public in a NASA press release of the photo six days later. Download high resolution version (630x630, 35 KB)The Face on Mars, photographed by Mars Global Surveyor - public domain NASA photo See very high resolution photo here: http://photojournal. ... Download high resolution version (630x630, 35 KB)The Face on Mars, photographed by Mars Global Surveyor - public domain NASA photo See very high resolution photo here: http://photojournal. ... For the Roman god, see Mars (mythology). ... Original Viking photo of the Face on Mars in the Cydonia region (North is to the upper right) Cydonia Mensae is an albedo feature (region) on Mars. ... A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). ... A degree (in full, a degree of arc, arc degree, or arcdegree), usually symbolized °, is a measurement of plane angle, representing 1／360 of a full rotation. ... The equator is an imaginary circle drawn around a planet (or other astronomical object) at a distance halfway between the poles. ... A sepia-tinted photograph of an English couple, taken in 1895. ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1976 calendar). ... The Viking 1 was the first of two spacecraft sent to Mars as part of NASAs Viking program. ... A space probe is an unmanned space mission in which a spacecraft leaves Earths orbit. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ...

Interpretations

Most interpretations of the photo suggest that the feature is a natural landform, one of many mesas that scatter Cydonia. In this view of things, the appearance of a face is given by a combination of the angle of the lighting (with the sun low on the Martian horizon at the time the photo was taken), the low resolution of the photo tending to smooth out the irregularities of the surface, and the human brain's tendency to recognize familiar patterns, especially faces (pareidolia). Finally, a gap in the data sent back by Viking 1 created a black spot exactly where a nostril would be located on a human face. Many other such spots are visible in the photo. Tom Van Flandern is a credentialed astronomer with Ph. ... Several mesas near Los Alamos, New Mexico. ... The word resolution has several meanings, depending on context. ... Pareidolia (pronounced /pɛɹaɪˈdoliə/ or /pæraɪˈdəʊliə/) is a psychological phenomenon involving a vague and random stimulus (usually an image) being mistakenly perceived as recognizable. ... Bit error indicates the number of bits of a data stream over a communication channel that have been altered by noise. ... A nostril is one of the two channels of the nose, from the point where they bifurcate to the external opening. ...

Mars Global Surveyor's 1998 image of the 'eye'

Another interpretation of the photo is that it represents an artificial monument of some kind, and some have claimed that its existence is proof that intelligent extraterrestrials inhabited or visited Mars at some point in the distant past. The most notable advocate of this theory is Richard Hoagland, as seen in the Message of Cydonia. In his 1987 book The Monuments of Mars: A City on the Edge of Forever, Hoagland interpreted other nearby surface features as remnants of a ruined city and artificially constructed pyramids. The publication of this book has done much to encourage and popularize belief in the artificial nature of the face. Subsequently a further cultus has claimed that the face has leonine qualities, leading to a postulation that the extraterrestrials may be similarly visaged. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (703x624, 372 KB) Summary NASA - Public Domain Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (703x624, 372 KB) Summary NASA - Public Domain Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The existence of extraterrestrial life remains hypothetical though human beings continue to search Extraterrestrial life is life that may exist and originate outside the planet Earth. ... Richard Hoagland is a leading contributor of controversial astronomical theories, especially concerning Mars. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In traditional usage, the cult of a religion, quite apart from its sacred writings (scriptures), its theology or myths, or the personal faith of its believers, is the totality of external religious practice and observance, the neglect of which is the definition of impiety. ...

In 2000, an article in MetaResearch claimed to prove that the face is artificial. (T. Van Flandern, H. Crater, J. Erjavec, L. Fleming & H. Moore (2000)) This article is about the year 2000. ...

The more scientifically mainstream interpretation is supported by later photographic evidence from the Mars Global Surveyor probe in 1998 and 2001 and the Mars Odyssey probe in 2002. Photographed under completely different lighting and at much higher resolution, the feature looks very little like a face, although conspiracy theorists claim that the images have been altered. It is interesting to note that various naturally occurring landmarks on Earth can also be interpreted as showing a face, and of course the "man in the Moon" consists of natural markings on our planet's natural satellite. Computer generated image of Global Surveyor spacecraft (NASA) The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) is an American spacecraft. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Artists concept of the 2001 Mars Odyssey Spacecraft 2001 Mars Odyssey is an unmanned spacecraft orbiting the planet Mars. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... This proposed logo for the US Information Awareness Office was dropped due to fears that its Masonic symbolism would provoke conspiracy theories. ... This page may meet Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ...

Original caption

Original Viking photo of the 'Face on Mars'

The original caption for the photograph read as follows: The Face on Mars, photographed by Viking 1 - public domain NASA photo File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Face on Mars, photographed by Viking 1 - public domain NASA photo File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

This picture is one of many taken in the northern latitudes of Mars by the Viking 1 Orbiter in search of a landing site for Viking 2.

The picture shows eroded mesa-like landforms. The huge rock formation in the center, which resembles a human head, is formed by shadows giving the illusion of eyes, nose and mouth. The feature is 1.5 kilometers (one mile) across, with the sun angle at approximately 20 degrees. The speckled appearance of the image is due to bit errors, emphasized by enlargement of the photo. The picture was taken on July 25 from a range of 1873 kilometers (1162 miles). Viking 2 will arrive in Mars orbit next Saturday (August 7) with a landing scheduled for early September. [1]

A kilometer (Commonwealth spelling: kilometre), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1,000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). ... A mile is any of a number of units of distance, each in the magnitude of 1–10 km. ... A degree (in full, a degree of arc, arc degree, or arcdegree), usually symbolized °, is a measurement of plane angle, representing 1／360 of a full rotation. ... Bit error indicates the number of bits of a data stream over a communication channel that have been altered by noise. ...

Fiction

• An episode of The X-Files features the face as part of a theory that Martians are sabotaging space probes sent to that planet.
• The face is a critical plot element of the movie Mission to Mars.
• The popular TV show Futurama portrays the face of Mars as the entrance to the center of the planet where the ancient Martians live. It is accompanied by the "Great Ass of Mars", located on the other side of the planet.
• In an episode of Invader Zim, the face is a structure which transforms into a sort of driver's seat for the planet. The Martians had worked themselves to extinction converting their planet into a giant ship, simply because "it's cool". This "technology" was also used on Mercury, creating the "Butt on Mercury"
• The song "Face In The Sand" by Iron Maiden from the album Dance Of Death is inspired by the face.
• In the video game Doom 3, the face on Mars appears on various poster and adverts as a video game Easter egg.
• In the video game Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders (1988), the face is a temple of an ancient alien civilization and one of many spoofs of then-popular esoteric New Age and conspiracy theories.
• In the video game Secret of Mana, there is a similar face hidden in the ocean as an easter egg. It serves no purpose other than to confuse the player.
• In the video game Final Fantasy IV, the face appears on the moon.
• The final mission of the video game X-COM occurs by the face at Cydonia.

The X-Files is a popular American television series created by Chris Carter. ... Mission to Mars is a 2000 U.S. made movie directed by Brian de Palma. ... Futurama is an American animated television series created by Matt Groening (creator of The Simpsons) and David X. Cohen (also a writer for The Simpsons). ... Invader Zim is an American animated television series created by comic book writer/artist Jhonen Vasquez and aired on Nickelodeon. ... Iron Maiden is a very successful New Wave of British heavy metal band from East London. ... Dance of Death is Iron Maidens 13th studio album, released on September 8, 2003. ... Doom 3 is a sci-fi horror first-person shooter computer game developed by id Software and published by Activision. ... A virtual Easter egg is a hidden message or feature in an object such as a movie, book, CD, DVD, computer program, or video game. ... A screenshot of Zak McKracken, PC version. ... Secret of Mana (originally released in Japan as 聖剣伝説2/Seiken Densetsu 2) is the second video game in the Seiken Densetsu series, the first of it on the Super NES. Most Americans were introduced to the series through this particular game, thanks to its release during the height of the... Final Fantasy IV ), often abbreviated to FF4, is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... X-COM is a series of computer games, started by MicroProse in 1994. ... Original Viking photo of the Face on Mars in the Cydonia region (North is to the upper right) Cydonia Mensae is an albedo feature (region) on Mars. ...

See also

• Cydonia
• Life on Mars
• Pareidolia

Original Viking photo of the Face on Mars in the Cydonia region (North is to the upper right) Cydonia Mensae is an albedo feature (region) on Mars. ... Scientists have long speculated about the possibility of life on Mars due to that planets proximity and similarity to Earth. ... Pareidolia (pronounced /pɛɹaɪˈdoliə/ or /pæraɪˈdəʊliə/) is a psychological phenomenon involving a vague and random stimulus (usually an image) being mistakenly perceived as recognizable. ...

External links

• Message of Cydonia
• Mars Global Surveyor images of the Face on Mars
• Richard Hoagland's Enterprise Mission
• The Skeptics Dictionary the face on Mars entry
• Bad Astronomy's Face on Mars entry
• "Happy Face" crater on Mars
• Google Mars and search for "Face on Mars"