Apollo Landing Sites Photographed Friday, 17 July, 2009 8:02 PM

[Jim]

NASA Science News for July 17, 2009

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has returned its first imagery of Apollo landing sites. The pictures show lunar module descent stages, scientific instruments and even 40-year-old foot trails made by astronauts walking across the dusty lunar surface.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/17jul_lroc.htm?list1298533

[Carole]

That should shut up the sceptics, although they will probably say these images are faked as well.

Carole

[doug]

 
     There is a link on the APOD as well to view these pics .... and as Carole rightly says .... that will shut up the non-believers.  Terrific pictures; and you can enlarge them.  It`s a WOW. 

[Mike]

Trust me - It will not shut up the sceptics in the slightest.

[Mike]

Larger images available here - http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/apollosites.html

[MarkS]

Larger images available here - http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/apollosites.html

Fantastic!

[mickw]

They are great images, but I agree with Mike the sceptics will still exist 

Although you can't see the "number plate" there are objects, that are not natural, that cast a shadow.  The footprints (OK, disturbed soil) pretty much nail it, there is too much detail for it to be coincidental or fabricated.

Just realised I'm trying to convince the sceptics - What the hell, they are the ones missing out on amazing achievemenets and discoveries - F#ck 'em 

[Rick]

Unfortunately the "Today" programme gave air-time to the skeptical argument this morning:

0725: On the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, Marcus Allen, the British publisher of Nexus - a magazine which deals with the paranormal - and Professor Martin Ward, Head of physics at Durham University, discuss the conspiracy theories that have plagued this event.

There's (supposedly) an audio link at http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8158000/8158503.stm which should be around until Sunday...

[mickw]

Got the audio link - Marcus Allen - 

His arguments sound very much like the arguments my stupid neighbour makes, and he's a w#nker.

[Rick]

Yeah. Take him there, show him the evidence, and he'd probably still say it was faked.

[Mac]

Mythbusters was good tonight,

It took all the arguments,
Photo of the astronaught in the shadow,
Non parallel shadows,
The moon walk (speeded up film ect)
The footprint, (not being able to leave a footprint in dry sand)
The flag waving.

And completly disproved all of them.

And they save the best to last,
The laser rangefinder that has been used every night on the reflector that was left on the moon.


It was very interesting.

But as rick said, the sceptics still wont believe.

[Rick]

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has snapped the Apollo 12 landing site where, on 14 November 1969, astronauts Alan Bean and Pete Conrad touched down to begin their 32-hour stay on the lunar surface.

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/04/apollo_12_site/

[Rick]

NASA Spacecraft Images Offer Sharper Views of Apollo Landing Sites

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured the sharpest images ever taken from space of the Apollo 12, 14 and 17 landing sites. Images show the twists and turns of the paths made when the astronauts explored the lunar surface.

At the Apollo 17 site, the tracks laid down by the lunar rover are clearly visible, along with the last foot trails left on the moon. The images also show where the astronauts placed some of the scientific instruments that provided the first insight into the moon's environment and interior.

More: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/news/apollo-sites.html

[mickw]

And a bit more : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14813043