Apollo Moon flags still standing, images show

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Apollo Moon flags still standing, images show

John Young salutes the flag while jumping in this picture taken by Charles Duke on the Apollo 16 mission

Images taken by a Nasa spacecraft show that the American flags planted in the Moon's soil by Apollo astronauts are mostly still standing.

The photos from Lunar Reconaissance Orbiter (LRO) show the flags are still casting shadows - except the one planted during the Apollo 11 landing.

This matches Buzz Aldrin's account of the flag being knocked over by engine exhaust as Apollo 11 lifted off.

LRO was designed to produce the most detailed maps yet of the lunar surface.

Each of the Apollo missions planted an American flag in the soil at their landing sites.

Scientists had previously examined photos of the Apollo landing sites for the flags, and had seen what looked like shadows cast by them on the lunar surface. But this was not considered conclusive.

Now, researchers have studied photos of the landing sites taken at different points during the day (and under different illuminations) and have observed shadows circling the points where the flags are thought to be.

Prof Mark Robinson, the chief scientist for the spacecraft's camera instrument, LROC, said in a blog entry: "From the LROC images it is now certain that the American flags are still standing and casting shadows at all of the sites, except Apollo 11."

The Arizona State University scientist added: "The most convincing way to see that the flags are still there, is to view a time series of LROC images taken at different times of day, and watch the shadow circle the flag."

"Personally I was a bit surprised that the flags survived the harsh ultraviolet light and temperatures of the lunar surface, but they did. What they look like is another question (badly faded?)"

LRO began its mission in lunar orbit in September 2009, to identify mineral and other resources on the Moon as well as scout promising landing sites for future missions.

This image from the LROC camera shows the Apollo 16 flag - and its shadow - today

Source: BBC News

Can we put the 'moon landing was a hoax' conspiracy theories to rest now, please?

[BajiRav]

I don't have any doubt about moon landing but those pixelated photos are hardly any proof to satisfy those conspiracy nutters.

[Hum]

Yeah, that blob convinces me. :laugh:

And that bigger blob looks like a fully intact L.E.M. -- wonder how NASA explains that. :shiftyninja: Astronauts musta climbed up a rope ...

[perochan]

why always the evidence images are always blurry? stupid. NASA has no HD quality camera.... geez...

[Open Minded]

I think the tracks on the surface look pretty real.

[KingCracker]

Send a robot up there to prove it. Well it wont prove anything because people will say its photoshopped..

[Hum]

why always the evidence images are always blurry? stupid. NASA has no HD quality camera.... geez...

Cuz then you'd see that they are just rocks ... silly question. :laugh:

[n_K]

'mostly' still standing? There's no air on the moon so the only thing that'd move it is the gravity exhurted on it by Earth and other planets, and the Sun... So I'm still skeptical.

[BajiRav]

Send a robot up there to prove it. Well it wont prove anything because people will say its photoshopped..

or robot filmed in a studio ? :p

[what]

why always the evidence images are always blurry? stupid. NASA has no HD quality camera.... geez...

It's a view of a 50m^2 area from 50km away.

'mostly' still standing? There's no air on the moon so the only thing that'd move it is the gravity exhurted on it by Earth and other planets, and the Sun... So I'm still skeptical.

You read the first line. Now read the third one down.

[perochan]

It's a view of a 50m^2 area from 50km away.

NASA took very nice pic of far away galaxy and they couldnt take a very nice pic of the... moon???

[Southern Patriot]

'mostly' still standing? There's no air on the moon so the only thing that'd move it is the gravity exhurted on it by Earth and other planets, and the Sun... So I'm still skeptical.

Missed this part, I guess:

The photos from Lunar Reconaissance Orbiter (LRO) show the flags are still casting shadows - except the one planted during the Apollo 11 landing.

This matches Buzz Aldrin's account of the flag being knocked over by engine exhaust as Apollo 11 lifted off.

NASA took very nice pic of far away galaxy and they couldnt take a very nice pic of the... moon???

You do realize how big a galaxy is, right?

[Hum]

'mostly' still standing? There's no air on the moon so the only thing that'd move it is the gravity exhurted on it by Earth and other planets, and the Sun... So I'm still skeptical.

Well tourists in the low-flying UFOs knocked a few over. :p

[M_Lyons10]

I don't have any doubt about moon landing but those pixelated photos are hardly any proof to satisfy those conspiracy nutters.

I know! I believe that it's up there, but how in the world can they say without a doubt that that pixel is the flag? LOL

[Hum]

^ It casts shadows. :shifty:

[what]

NASA took very nice pic of far away galaxy and they couldnt take a very nice pic of the... moon???

Ah right, you don't have a clue what you're talking about. I thought you just had a minor brain fart in your original comment.

[mudslag]

Yeah, that blob convinces me. :laugh:

And that bigger blob looks like a fully intact L.E.M. -- wonder how NASA explains that. :shiftyninja: Astronauts musta climbed up a rope ...

For someone who is always pulling pictures out of your rear end and claiming UFOs, it's funny how quickly you turn a 180 on something that has even more evidence then just a photo.

I don't have any doubt about moon landing but those pixelated photos are hardly any proof to satisfy those conspiracy nutters.

This has nothing to do with proving anything to the tin foilers out there.

'mostly' still standing? There's no air on the moon so the only thing that'd move it is the gravity exhurted on it by Earth and other planets, and the Sun... So I'm still skeptical.

skeptical of what exactly?

[*RedBull*]

Take note world, the moon belongs to the USA. Just accept it.

[Draconian Guppy]

Hmmm like hum states... Blobs...

I will say this: Calculating angles and distance of shadow cast, with a better resolution image (which i'm %100 NASA CAN get) math + physics, this could be proven to a 99.99 leaving 0.01 for skeptics. But, until then, pixelated blobs are meh at best.

[Hum]

Take note world, the moon belongs to the USA. Just accept it.

Patent Pending :ninja:

[Tha Bloo Monkee]

I'm not disputing the moon landing, but these pictures don't prove anything...

:/

[mudslag]

I'm not disputing the moon landing, but these pictures don't prove anything...

:/

Again these pictures are not meant to prove or disprove anything, just showing a detailed shot that just happens to show what appears to be a standing flag still.

[compl3x]

Can we put the 'moon landing was a hoax' conspiracy theories to rest now, please?

We should have been able to put it to rest years ago.

NASA took very nice pic of far away galaxy and they couldnt take a very nice pic of the... moon???

I think they use different types of equipment to take images of galaxies. Radio telescopes or something.

[Detection]

I thought the moon was bombarded with meteors and asteroids (whatever the difference is) all the time, and not one has obliterated a couple of measly flags ?

[Hum]

^ More likely the Moon was 'bombarded' on its way to our Earth orbit. ;)