haven't they sent the rovers over to check it out?
any thoughts on what it may have been?
2007-07-30 07:20:29 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
They have VERY detailed pictures from orbit taken by more advanced space craft recently; both U.S. and European space craft. It is just an eroded mountain.
2007-07-30 07:35:46 · answer #1 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The image taken by the Viking probe in the 70s and followed up by the Mars Global Surveyor in 2001 is of a rocky formation that some say looks like a face.
Aside from being a long ways away from where the rovers are exploring, the area is about 3.5km on a side, so a rover would see nothing but hills and valleys if it went there.
This is another example of how our brains have built-in wiring to recognize certain visual patterns, the human face being one of the strongest patterns. The fact that a lot of people see a face in that picture is due to this wiring.
'There is no spoon'
2007-07-30 14:38:03 · answer #2 · answered by dbucciar 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A satellite passed over prior to the mars rover mission and took better pictures showing that the feature was an amorphous rock formation, it's just the lower quality optics and data transmission on the earlier mission led to random shadows taking on a facial appearance.
2007-07-30 14:50:53 · answer #3 · answered by Efnissien 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's just a natural formation. The moon has a smiley-face crater, too. And, I think the area is much too far for the rovers to check out.
2007-07-30 14:58:49 · answer #4 · answered by quantumclaustrophobe 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Probably an optical illusion due to the angles of light or a pile of rocks positioned perfectly to form aface , or a shadow from the light angles on the surface .
2007-07-30 15:12:41 · answer #5 · answered by Dave aka Spider Monkey 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You mean the pile of rocks on Mars. Look under later phtotos with different light angles
2007-07-30 14:27:05 · answer #6 · answered by Gene 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
It's some rocks that happen to cast shadows in a way that looks sort of like a face. It is just as meaningless as images of Jesus in grilled cheese sandwiches.
2007-07-30 14:26:49 · answer #7 · answered by lithiumdeuteride 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
It not a face and it would be a waste of time and money to go and check it out.
2007-07-30 14:35:48 · answer #8 · answered by M Series 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
as far as is known no but caves have been found and water is sais to have been found on Mars. also water on one of the moons of Jupiter. another moon has a volcano on it or is purported to have one.news article at least have indicated this to be true.Titan is the moon.
2007-07-31 00:28:40 · answer #9 · answered by darren m 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Odd shape rock formation and shadows
2007-07-30 23:39:02 · answer #10 · answered by n2ltr 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋