 |
OK, look. I have seen pictures claimed to be of God or gods in everything. A taco. An oil smear. Wood grain. A bun, a cheese sandwich, a tree, clouds, and even a shroud or two. I’m something of an aficionado of it, and I think I do pretty well in recognizing it.
But this one baffles me. An article in The Telegraph says (uncited) that the picture of Mars shown here looks like the cloaked figure of Jesus.
Really? I don’t see it. Maybe the jumbled region at the top is the head, and the three dark hills below are the body and elbows. But wow, I really don’t get it. Do you? Maybe someone can outline the figure and leave it in the comments. Because this looks like just a crater with eroded gullies to me.
Tip o’ the mitre to Keith Cowing.
September 10th, 2009 at 10:56 am
only true believers can see it. just like batman.
September 10th, 2009 at 10:58 am
No. That’s not Jesus – it’s Gary Busey.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Are they sure it is Jesus? I see a freaky ugly guy in a cloak.
@Phil
I think the head is the middle part with the three small triangles to the spiky thing up to the left and right. The cloak might be the three large triangles at the bottom.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Whoever it is, has three uneven breasts.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:10 am
But wow, I really don’t get it. Do you?
I see the three breasted hooker from Total Recall.
No. That’s not Jesus – it’s Gary Busey.
I’m not sure geology can create anything that scary.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:15 am
QD beat me to it! On both counts!
September 10th, 2009 at 11:17 am
You know, I’ve never been able to make heads or tails out of the supposed man in the moon, either. I’d probably flunk an ink blot test.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:17 am
@5 – Hmm, that is a good point. Though then again, nature is responsible for house centipedes *shudder* (For the uninitiated, who may remain confused at my first statement – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6X5RMBu3oo)
September 10th, 2009 at 11:19 am
It’s the Dude, from the Great Labowski
September 10th, 2009 at 11:21 am
It’s Eccentrica Gallumbit, the triple-breasted whore of Eroticon Six.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Silly christians… it is OBVIOUSLY the Triple-Breasted Male Monchichi Hobo God – see here for a reference: http://nothingreallypoignant.com/2008/01/26/triple-breasted-male-monchichi-hobo-god/
September 10th, 2009 at 11:23 am
I see a Nazgûl.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:30 am
What my imagination sees:
Top1/4, just left of center, face with right hand to cheek, as if holding a phone to the right ear (or facepalming).. the generally triangular center to right side could be a ‘cloak’
Following ‘arm’ holding phone: goes down to elbow just below left center.
The ‘three breasts’ are: elbow of arm, left hand in sling, left elbow under cloak
Bottom of picture: down from ‘arm with phone’ is tunic covered leg, with center to right of photo more of the ‘cloak’ covering the other leg.
So, it’s Jesus with a broken arm, making a phone call!!
J/P=?
J/PS=?: Though kuhnigget’s idea sounds interesting. But where’s the Zaphodidolia?
September 10th, 2009 at 11:30 am
@prunde
Lol! For a while, that is what I thought. ^_^
September 10th, 2009 at 11:32 am
I don’t see anything.
I’m normally much better at this game.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:35 am
All I can make out is a skull with it’s side facing us, looking towards the right side of the picture. That’s in the upper-center part of the frame. If I really squint, it looks like he’s wearing a Roman centurion helmet.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:37 am
I see rock. Lots and lots of rock.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:40 am
If I had some sort of woo belief I might see something in the picture. I lack enough imagination, the pictures you are supposed to stare at never reveal a hidden picture to me.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:43 am
The only image I see is a maybe-bearded guy feelin’ up a busty lady with her face turned away — my mind must be in the Martian gutter
Props for “Total Recall” reference above. LOL
September 10th, 2009 at 11:43 am
If you squint your eyes just right, you can see the Arabic word for God, too. Two long U’s on the right, a short one on the left, and a little shadda on top.
I bet with a bit more squinting I could find a swastika, an ohm, and all sorts of other religious symbols. Hooray for pattern-matching!
September 10th, 2009 at 11:44 am
How can’t you see it? Just flip it over. See the face with pointy nose looking to the left? Here – http://sky-map.com/w/images/1/12/Dude_on_Mars.JPG
September 10th, 2009 at 11:45 am
It’s obviously Mr. Miyagi. Except he’s grown a pair of those long Samurai moustaches.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:47 am
I was going to say I saw a ducky and a horsie, but I changed my mind
September 10th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Jesus, your toast is ready
September 10th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Looks like a garden variety flasher to me.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:59 am
If I squint and hold my head like this, I can kinda sorta see Thing from the Fantastic Four.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
I was going to post as my first impression was the Total Recall reference, but apparently a lot of others saw the same thing!
September 10th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
I looked at it, and though someone knocked over a jar of spice.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I see Jesus, too. He has three arms, and he’s playing the maracas.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Interesting, but have you seen the picture of Jesus crying over a melting glacier? http://earthfirst.com/mother-nature-eerie-crying-face-seen-in-melting-glacier/
It proves that Jesus is real, but unfortunately, he doesn’t agree with the fundies on the climate change debate.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
@ Brian Schlosser:
Ha! A Charles Schultz fan!
September 10th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
I’m seeing the Grim Reaper, the one from the end of Meaning of Life. “He’s here about the reaping!?”
September 10th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
It looks like Jesus with 3 boobs.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
I…
See…
Rocks.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Waldo is in the lower right about 3 cm from the bottom.
A cloaked Jesus? Only if all you can see is the cloak and none of the person.
Hmm, I think I see the big bang in that image.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I can at least pretend to see it. But…is it Jesus or Chris Ferguson of poker fame.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Methinks I see it (I toned the background back and labeled it) , but I didn’t know Jesus had that much facial hair. I didn’t know it was *possible* to have that much facial hair…that’s proof! It’s a MIRACLE!
I can see John Paradox’s cell-phone, as well. Prediction of the future on mars! Also a miracle!
September 10th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
@prunde
Also what I thought. Also foretold by the movie ‘Total Recall’.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
It’s easiest for me to see a human figure in the picture by looking next to the photo and noticing a humanoid figure in my peripheral vision. Then it does seem to be a cowled figure. Not recognizable as any specific person, just someone in a robe.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Do a Google image search on “Predator” and you will see a much more compelling likeness.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
I see Jesus smootching with Mary Magdalene.
September 10th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Squinting slightly or misdirecting your sight are the best ways to see what they’re talking about. The “face” is just to the left of center in the top quarter of the image, in those rocks and shadows. It kind of looks like Shroud of Turin-ish Jesus looking almost straight down.
It’s easier to see the “face” if you block out the large, off-center three breasts below it, but isn’t it always?
September 10th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Well A Lump Of Coal, But its Gonna Be A Diamond One Day…… I think Toasterhead is RIGHT On This One …. Hey You Never Know…
Humbucker…HeHe
September 10th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Slightly OTP, but Lawrence Krauss has a good article over at Science and Entertainment Exchange
A One-Way Ticket to Mars
snip…
“As cruel as it may sound, the astronauts would probably best use their remaining time living and working on Mars rather than dying at home.[from radiation]“
September 10th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
It Also Looks Like A Place where I Slipped and Fell..But Jesus Saved Me..I was feeling no Pain Anyways, Now That was a Long Time Ago…… Like Two Weeks ago…
~vjp~
September 10th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
I see a bunch of shadowy hooded gentlemen surrounding me. And dirt. Lots of dirt.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
I wish I had photoshop on my work computer, I could cook an outline very easily.
Alas I will attempt to inadequately describe it. I don’t know the proper terms for the geological features so it’s hard to describe accurately.
The darkest patch in the middle center of the image is in a sort of “harry potter scar” position on the “face” only extending down to between the eye and nose. There’s no clear face here, it’s more of an obstructed view of a face.
The small dark spot below and to the right of that feature is the tip of the nose (sort of a michael jackson non-nose if you ask me)
There’s not really a clear chin or jaw line.
Straight down from there is a large dark spot with other dark spots on either side. Those side pieces are the ends of Jesus’ shoulder-length hair and the middle bit I suppose is a long beard.
To be perfectly honest it looks more like darth vader than jesus.
I see it fairly clearly but if I try hard enough I can almost make out another face. If you look at the “harry potter scar” again imagine it’s a nose viewed about 45 degrees in profile. The small dots at the top of the “bridge” are eyes. It doesn’t really resemble jesus but it makes a semi-recognizeable face shape.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Look at the middle one of the three spikey things pointing towards the top op the picture. Follow the middle spikey thing upwards. A little under the middle of the picture there is a darker shape. This kind of looks like a face looking at the left of the picture to me. A bit towards the bottom right of this there is something that could be a shoulder extending into an arm which is arched backwards like he is carrying a box (or a crusifx :O ) on his back.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Here’s my go. Jesus seems to have an Elvis quiff and far, far too many fingers.
http://www.spoonbard.com/spoonblog/image/jesusonmars.jpg
September 10th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
You decide…
twitpic.com/h7xdg
twitpic.com/h7yie
September 10th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Maybe I’m looking at it wrong, but I’m still just seeing . . . no reason to care.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Ok, I think I see it. The left and middle large triangles are the robed arms with the two smaller triangles above them being hair. The face is in the middle of them looking right and down.
Side-by-side with outline:
http://img9.imageshack.us/i/marseidolia.png/
September 10th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
I can kind of see it as a vaguely Jesuslike face looking down a little with its head tilted a bit as if peering down at something.
But what first came to mind was that it reminded me more of two Easter Island moai (statues) standing next to each other.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Jesus? Maybe…looks more like Vlad Tepe…or Yanni.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
What’s weird is that at first glance, when this came up on my RSS feed, I thought “oh, that kinda looks like a profile view of somebody”, but when I actually took a look at it, I couldn’t see it, and now I can’t get myself to consciously see it.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Nah. I still like the Predatoridolia better. http://twitpic.com/h8405
September 10th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Looks like a vulva to me.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
When I first glanced at the picture before looking at the text, I thought it was of two old statues, well worn away by time. The man on the left looking slightly down on the woman (wearing a head scarf) on the right.
Then I read ‘Mars’ and assumed that it was of the Roman god Mars. Then I read your article properly, and am amazed that you can’t see the two obvious figures.
It isn’t Jesus though; it’s definitely Mars and Venus…
September 10th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
I agree with Kirk and Efogoto. Does not really trigger my “There’s a person.” instinct looking straight on. But, looking off to the side it triggers my “There’s a person in my peripheral vision.” instinct making me want to look right at it to see if it is really a person or not. But, since it is in the peripheral vision and indistinct there is insufficient detail to cause a “Hey there’s Jesus.” reaction.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
If I sit far back and really squint my eyes to near uselessness…. I think I see Hellboy.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Looks like a Klan meeting taken from behind.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
When I was born the Dr. took one look and said:”Jesus!”
September 10th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
It’s a Picasso.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
It’s Mungo the Sasquatch. Praise be upon him!
September 10th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
It’s Kris Kringle with a hangover. Duh.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Well, I’m an idiot.
Whenever I see one of your “–eidolia” headers, if I can catch myself in time, I will avoid looking at the text and stare at the picture; just to see if I can see what I’m “supposed” to see. My eyes nearly bugged-out I stared at that one so long! Seeing nothing, I finally gave up and turned to the text to find out that this is a really, really crappy example of pareidolia, and that it’s being purported to be an image of something by the Telegraph, no less!!
I feel used. Thanks a lot, Phil.
(Where’s Ben Stein? I think I need some eye drops…)
September 10th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
I can see it though it took me a long time and I had to be told what I was supposed to see beforehand. What’s weird though is the part where the brain goes appears to be missing.
September 10th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
What makes anyone think it is Jesus? Could be anyone, or more likely no one.
Looks more like a woman anyway. I think it’s Julius Caesar’s great-aunt Sophia at the age of 15.
Or Cruella de Vil. This proves god hates dogs.
September 10th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Noooo… It’s Mr. Stay Puft
September 10th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Better link
http://unpublicservice.blogspot.com/2009/09/face-on-mars.html
September 10th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
For the sake of decorum (on a blog? Really?), I can only hope that Phil doesn’t explore the pareidolia in the new Hubble shot of the “Jet in Carina.” (www.hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2009/25/image/e/format/large_web/)
Look at the right center part of the image and rotate your head 90 degrees clockwise. Oh dear…
September 10th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Chris A., what’s so rude about an Opabinia regalis?
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article//cambrian_06
September 10th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
I’m only on my second rum&coke, but I see Emperor Palpatine. I’m surprised no one else here has said that. On the other hand, another 2 R&C’s and I’ll see all sorts of things.
September 10th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
@71
Chris A. it looks like a Predator getting his nose pinched by Slimer from Ghostbusters.
as for the clocked figure above… alledgedly… if i squint with my eyes half closed i can see what someone might think is a man in a clock, but it appears to be either Emperor Palpatine, or Death, or possible Mort?
September 10th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
I see Cthulhu.
September 10th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
It took a little looking, but the first thing that came to mind when I looked at it was some sort of nun looking character, facing to the right. And praying. To what I would swear were a pair of Jawa seen from behind…
Here’s the outline I did:
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c137/dartfalgren/Temp/mars_1475041fOverdraw.jpg
September 10th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
It’s definitely Jesus. You just have to imagine him with very large and dreadfully lopsided breasts.
September 10th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Actually, I saw it right away. Don’t look right at the picture. Look at a point a little bit off to the left, and your peripheral vision fills in the shape pretty well.
September 10th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Where is the imagination?
Frankenstein, Nebraska, a cat head, an owl, an old crone, another martian face and Oogie Boogie from Nightmare Before Christmas. They’re all there!
http://anthonyrmiller.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/more_stuff_on_mars.jpg
September 10th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
@73
I’m only on my second rum&coke, but I see Emperor Palpatine. I’m surprised no one else here has said that. On the other hand, another 2 R&C’s and I’ll see all sorts of things.
What rum are you imbibing? One decent single malt and I’m seeing Darth Vader. Two single malts and I’ll see his twin brother too.
September 10th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Oooo… One decent single malt and the only thing I’ll see…… is a few more decent single malts.
September 10th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
@73: so finally someone else saw it, too.
I was afraid I’m the only one.
Clearly, it is Emperor Palpatine.
Only alternative is, it could be a hooded Obi-Wan.
But in any case, you can only see it if you feel….. THE FORCE.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:40 am
You’re all suffering from blindness! It is Edward Munch’s “The Scream”! Look at the hands to the left and right of the face and the terrified facial expression, then compare it to this photography:
http://www.jim3dlong.com/1893_Edvard_Munch_The_Scream-WR400.jpg
September 11th, 2009 at 5:39 am
Ahhhh…. They posted the picture upside down! Now I see it!
September 11th, 2009 at 6:12 am
@71 – I see a dude ‘flippin us the bird’
September 11th, 2009 at 6:30 am
It’s Elvis. He’s been trapped on Mars this whole time. Those crazy, prankster alien doods left him there after he dissed their high monarch, calling him a rutabaga-brained, monkey-fart.
September 11th, 2009 at 7:07 am
Perhaps the “cloaked figure of Jesus” is meant in the Star Trek sense – we can’t see him because he’s cloaked…?
September 11th, 2009 at 7:12 am
I can sort of imagine the stereotypic picture of jesus, arms down his along sides, palms forward, looking down and to the left, if I don’t look directly at it. As a “practising” atheist I find how easily I see this disturbing.
September 11th, 2009 at 8:07 am
I can see a young Pete Townshend or maybe an Egyptian gorilla (nuzzling against him with a sort of robe on its head).
The big dinosaur footprint toward the bottom right is pretty impressive.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
It’s a Visigoth. Alaric, maybe. I for one want to be the first to welcome our new martian visigothic overlords.
September 12th, 2009 at 2:23 am
Ok I outlined the “figure” but I have to say it looks more like a samurai doing a karate pose to me…
Link to picture: http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/jyuujin/jesusfu.jpg
September 12th, 2009 at 9:08 am
I see a three-breasted woman like from Total Recall. How bout you guys?
update – I see someone else noted this. nevermind.
September 13th, 2009 at 12:50 am
If it got thousands of people writing their congressmen to fund more studies of and a faster manned mission to Mars, then yes, it’s Jesus and Mary can be seen near the north pole and a passable Last Supper not far from Mons Olympus.
September 13th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
I agree with a previous poster, I also see a klan meeting taken from behind.
September 14th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Jesus obviously has a nasty skin condition, probably from all the sandstorms.
September 14th, 2009 at 10:58 am
The upper middle “head” part looks like an old Iron Maiden poster.