Do you see a face on Mars?

[bobthedrummer]

Is that a structure out there in the distance?
Although we can't afford it, a trip there by people would settle the argument.
I've seen some amazing photos, but chances are they've been tampered with.
Still, sure looks like a face to me, it is interesting, to say the least.

[SaveElmer]

1. Optical Illusion

NASA released pictures of it from different angles some time ago...it's just an illusion caused bythe angl ethe picture was taken and the angle of the sun at t he time...going there just for that reason really would be a waste of money

[Bozola]

3. ..and by signal compression artifacts

such as you see in JPGs (try shift the contrast some time)

[Bozola]

2. Nope. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

There's no face, but a revenue gathering literary device for Graham "Crackers" Hancock.

[BeatleBoot]

4. Only when I'm there...

:7

[earthman dave]

5. If you're referring to the picture I think you're referring to

The one with half a face, and the other half of the feature in shadow? As a previous poster noted, other pictures of the same feature show a rock. The brain, given something that could be half a face, fills in the rest.

[Archae]

6. The Martian "face"

It's nothing but a scam from Richard Hoaxland.

(The asshole still refuses to admit he screwed up)

[Cannikin]

7. hehe..I thought I was the only one who called him 'Hoaxland'

Bush dug him up to support his Mars plan.

[Twenty3]

8. But of course!

A smiley face!


(Galle Crater)

[cosmicdot]

9. this face?

[bobthedrummer]

11. Yes, that's it.

It looks like a face to me and others. That's all I'm saying here. Thanx for posting the pic, cosmicdot.

[Bozola]

12. This one

[Blue-Jay]

10. Not only is it a "face"

I think it looks like Marlon Brando in an old-timey powdered wig. (the truth is out there)

[Gadave]

13. NASA gamed it a little though

I know a little about computer graphics and NASA flattened the image to remove all contraversy because the raw image when corrected in a proper way is not as clear cut. In the process they created more paranoid freaks.

There is no face, but NASA should not have made the images as bad as possible to short circuit debate. You only energize the whackos by playing those kind of games.

[Bozola]

14. The raw data

Typical "cute" image for PR. The "let's get the public interested" shot. At the time people were more interested in Disco than science.

The original press release:
http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/extended_may2001/face/1976pio.html


The raw Viking data:
http://www.msss.com/education/facepage/face.html


Mars Orbiter 1998
http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/4_6_98_face_release/

Mars 2001
http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/01_31_01_releases/cydonia/