Cydonia: Face on Mars Cydonia is a region on Mars named after the state in Crete. Cydonia is located in the northern hemisphere, with cratered mountains to the south and smooth plains to the North. Viking 1 and Viking 2 orbiters took 18 images of the region. One of the images, taken on July 25, 1976, showed what appeared to be a human-life face at 40.75° north latitude and 9.46° west longitude. The image became known as the "Face on Mars." Immediately, chief scientist Gerry Soffen dismissed it as a trick of light. A second image showed the face at a different sun angle. High Resolution Image of Face on Mars