The face of mars new
However, high flight altitude, resulting in poor data resolution on the ground (orbits 0262, 2533, 2872), as well as dust and haze in the Martian atmosphere, leading to heavily reduced data quality (orbits 1216, 2872) prevented the acquisition of high-quality Cydonia images.In 1976 the Viking Orbiter radioed back many images from Mars. The results of large mass wasting, or downslope movement of rock, are also visible at the foot of the pyramid-like formations.īetween April 2004 and July 2006, the HRSC gathered data from the Cydonia region numerous times. The location of the detachment zone is reflected by a large scarp extending from North to South. The formation of debris aprons is considered to be controlled by talus formation, a sloping mass of rock debris at the base of a cliff, and landslides.Īt the Mars ‘face,’ such characteristic landslides and an early form of debris apron formation can be seen.įormer larger debris aprons might have been covered by later lava flows in the surrounding area the western wall of the face moved downslope as a coherent mass. In Cydonia itself, such aprons are often missing in smaller massifs. They form at the foot of such remnant mounds and probably consist of a mixture of rocky debris and ice. In areas adjacent to Cydonia, gently sloping areas surrounding hills or reliefs, so-called ‘debris aprons,’ are frequently found. While the formations aren’t of alien origin, they are nevertheless of significant interest to planetary geologists. More data from the same orbiter in 2001 further confirmed this conclusion. It took until April 1998, and confirmation with additional data from the Mars Orbiter Camera on NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor, before popular speculation waned. The idea that the planet might have once been home to intelligent beings has since inspired the imagination of many Mars fans, and has been expressed in numerous, more-or-less serious, newspaper articles as well as in science-fiction literature and on many Web pages.ĭespite all this, the formal scientific interpretation has never changed: the face remains a figment of human imagination in a heavily eroded surface. The array of nearby structures has been interpreted by some space enthusiasts as artificial landscapes, such as potential pyramids and even a disintegrated city. Nonetheless, the ‘Face on Mars’ was the subject of widespread speculation on the possible origins and purpose of artificial structures on the Red Planet, with the face being the most talked-about formation.
Cydonia lies at approximately 40.75° North and 350.54° East.Ī few days later, on 31 July 1976, a NASA press release said the formation “resembles a human head.” However, NASA scientists had already correctly interpreted the image as an optical illusion caused by the illumination angle of the Sun, the formation’s surface morphology and the resulting shadows, giving the impression of eyes, nose and mouth. The data were gathered during orbit 3253 over the Cydonia region, with a ground resolution of approximately 13.7 metres per pixel.
THE FACE OF MARS NEW SERIES
And now ESA’s Mars Express has revealed even higher resolution images, showing a new perspective view of the face.ĮSA’s Mars Express has obtained images of the Cydonia region, site of the famous ‘ Face on Mars.’ The High Resolution Stereo Camera photos include some of the most spectacular views of the Red Planet ever.Īfter multiple attempts to image the Cydonia region from April 2004 until July 2006 were frustrated by altitude and atmospheric dust and haze, the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board Mars Express finally obtained, on 22 July, a series of images that show the famous ‘face’ on Mars in unprecedented detail. Other NASA orbiters have returned higher resolution images showing that it’s just a naturally forming rock structure. When NASA’s Viking 1 Orbiter sent its first pictures back from Mars in 1976, one feature caught the eye – the famous “Face on Mars” in the Cydonia region.