Apollo Moon flags still standing, images show

Phew, well, that's a relief! ................ahem.

www.bbc.com...

Sorry, unable to attach pics, but pics in link......I'm on (slap wrist) work computer.

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 mission.

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 that touched down on the Moon planted an American flag in the soil.

Scientists had previously examined photos of the landing sites for these 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 same areas taken at different points during the day 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.

a reply to: CaptainBeno

Looks like a camera artifact

the flag should be totally white by now.
So the surrendered states of america?
that's the only reaosn the little green men will invade us!

a reply to: CaptainBeno

Flag...

Flag Shadow...

LRV...

Now if we can just find an astronaut to prove we landed on the moon...

a reply to: CaptainBeno

That is nice to know.
What a death defying accomplishment!

The amount of trust,faith, and acceptance
of finality involved is beyond the comprehension
of the average
Cell Phone Clone today.

What a shame. S&F

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

a reply to: drneville

Well, not really today, as that's from two years ago.

So even with all the gales we have had, the pole's are still up? fantastic, good solid American engineering.


JOKE

Actually, those flags should be up, untill something big enough arrives to knock them over, such as a huge solar flare.

a reply to: CaptainBeno

I am impressed they can tell thats even lander and flag they must be superman. A black dot an American flag right....

Although this is not news (that BBC article is from 2012, and the LRO images might be even older), this is a good reminder of the evidence for the Apollo landings.

Yep, you can indeed see the flag shadows at all Apollo landing sites apart from 11. What's even cooler, is that by comparing LRO images taken at different times of the lunar day (and thus different sun angles), you can see the flags' shadow creep along the ground, getting longer and longer as the Sun get lower above the horizon.

See my thread on the Apollo 16 flag here: www.abovetopsecret.com...

LRO site has a cool "Flipbook" which lets you see the landing sites at different times of lunar day: featured-sites.lroc.asu.edu... and another thing you can spot is that the metallic cables and instruments left there by the astronauts can glint very brightly in the sun.

"Oh say can you see, by the dawn's early light", etc. etc., except for the waving part.

a reply to: IShotMyLastMuse

We will Never Surrender.
Ever.

a reply to: Agent_USA_Supporter

Your jealousy is evident,
and Understood.

Lets face it, no one is as bad ass
as the fellow who planted that flag.

Regardless of which Country that flag represents,
it is a magnificent Human Achievement.

It just so happens,,however,, that it is
The Flag of The United States of America.

Rock N Roll

That's obviously a rock. Or maybe even a cosmic ray hitting the lens.
People and their imaginations, right?

This is where I would put the wikipedia link for the definition of 'pareidolia', you know, cause now not only are you wrong, but I'm also going to diagnose you with a psychological disorder. Cause I'm a dude on the internet.

/sarcasm

Like there'd be any reason for that flag NOT to be standing

originally posted by: Agent_USA_Supporter
a reply to: CaptainBeno

I am impressed they can tell thats even lander and flag they must be superman. A black dot an American flag right....

The lander's shape and the shape of its shadow are quite recognisable. The flag's shadow, if you care to investigate in the links I've given, gets longer as the Sun gets closer to the horizon, and the shadow's position clearly indicates that it's cast by something that is above the ground (i.e. not a rock sitting on the ground).

Deny ignorance, the evidence is there to explore.

Actually, the news that some flags had survived came as a surprise to many people.* It was widely believed (by those that had given the matter some thought) that the combination of 40+ years of unfiltered ultraviolet radiation and micrometeoroid bombardment would have destroyed the flag by now. UV bleaches-out the dyes, darkens the nylon and makes it brittle. Detailed description can be found on pages 37 and 59 (note 36) of this peer-reviewed paper. Various other articles I've read over the years assumed that the nylon would have weakened to the point that a minor moon-quake, or the impact of a few micrometeors, or even sagging under its own weight would have caused the flags to crumble into a line of dust at the feet of the flagpoles.

That they have survived this long suggests that the lunar environment may be more benign than previously thought.

*I was quite taken-aback by the news. At the time it was announced, I'd been working on a short story where the first historian/archaeologist to return to Tranquility Base discovers that the Apollo 11 flag, laying flat on the ground where it fell, was the only flag to avoid crumbling into an unrecognizable pile. Oh well...

Those are just rocks.

yeah...great evidence.

I'm still stumped by that "evidence"...a few years later.

Upon seeing that doodle with black spots..I immediately relinquished all my built-in skepticism towards Apollo.

If there ever was a great evidence...of anything....this is it !!!!

a reply to: Saint Exupery

Well from the image provided and obvious lack of detail there is no telling what shape the flag is in other than it casts a shadow.

Could be bleached white and just a hanging tattered mess for all we know.

That could be Elton John as far as i am concerned. Unrecognizable.