Was the Moon Landing Fake? Debunking 5 Common Myths
July 20 marks the 55th anniversary of one of the most remarkable milestones in human history — the Apollo 11 mission. On this day in 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon. However, more than half a century after the event, many people still doubt the authenticity of the first Moon landing. Let’s debunk five of the most popular myths surrounding this topic. Dive into the bizarre world of conspiracy theories!
Contents
- Myth 1: The Waving Flag
- Myth 2: The Starless Sky
- Myth 3: The Shadow Anomalies
- Myth 4: The Lack of Impact Crater
- Myth 5: The Belts of Death
- F.A.Q.
- Moon landing conspiracy theories: Bottom line
Myth 1: The Waving Flag
There is practically no atmosphere and, thus, no wind on the Moon. Then why does the American flag seem to fly proudly in both photos and videos from the Apollo 11 mission?
Let’s begin with photographs. If you look closely at the image above, you’ll notice that the flag has a horizontal rod that keeps it unfurled — without the rod, the flag would just go limp and look much less impressive. So it’s not the wind but the rod that keeps the flag “waving”. The “ripples” on the flag (that could be mistaken for movement in the photo) are simply wrinkles caused by the flag being folded during storage. No, the astronauts did not take an iron with them to the Moon! This image sequence is a good illustration of how the flag stays perfectly still while the astronaut near it moves.
Now, for the video. The flag in the clip moves back and forth — why? It happens due to the astronaut’s motions: he twists the flagpole while planting it into the lunar soil, and the momentum is transferred to the flag. So, in order to prove their point, conspiracy theorists must find footage of the flag flapping without an astronaut manipulating the flagpole.
Myth 2: The Starless Sky
Without an atmosphere to scatter sunlight, the sky on the Moon is always black. So why don’t we see the stars in photos?
The reason lies in the camera settings used during the Apollo missions. The astronauts needed to take pictures of themselves in white spacesuits and of the brightly lit lunar surface, so they used a fast shutter speed (1/250 of a second) to prevent overexposure. With such shutter speed, the cameras couldn’t pick up the faint light from distant stars. Even with modern equipment, you’ll need an exposure time of at least a few seconds to capture the stars in a photo — you can try it anytime with your smartphone.
Myth 3: The Shadow Anomalies
In some images from the Apollo 11 mission, the shadows from objects are not parallel. How can that be if the Sun is the only light source on the Moon? Were there any other light sources — like studio light?
It’s absolutely normal that, from a single point of view, the shadows don’t look parallel (though they are parallel, in fact). It’s just how perspective works. Take a look at the photo above, taken here on Earth — the shadows don’t look parallel at all!
Skeptics also pointed out that, in some photos, astronauts are lit up while they’re clearly standing in the shadow. Are they illuminated by a spotlight?
The thing is, the Moon’s surface reflects about 12% of the light that hits it. That's why, although the astronaut in the photo is hidden from direct sunlight, he is still illuminated by the light reflected off the lunar surface.
Want to know more about the Moon? Take our quiz on the Moon’s colors!
Myth 4: The Lack of Impact Crater
While landing, the lunar module had to fire the rocket engine in order to slow down. Shouldn't this have created at least a small crater?
These doubts would, probably, be valid if we were talking about landing a spacecraft on the Earth’s surface. The Moon’s gravity is only about 1/6 that of Earth’s, which means that the spacecraft needed much less thrust to land. So, the thrust simply wasn’t strong enough to create a crater, it only moved the dust away from beneath the engine. For comparison, take a look at this image of the Chinese lunar module Chang'e 4 — no crater, either!
Myth 5: The Belts of Death
Our planet is surrounded by two zones of charged particles called the Van Allen belts. Some Moon landing deniers call them “impenetrable” due to high radiation levels. How did the Apollo astronauts survive passing through these zones?
The answer is “speed”: if you go fast enough, the radiation impact will be minimal. The Apollo 11 spacecraft passed through the Van Allen belts quickly enough, minimizing the time astronauts spent in the high-radiation areas. Data from personal dosimeters confirmed that the astronauts were not subjected to dangerous levels of radiation. So, the Van Allen belts are not impenetrable after all.
F.A.Q.
What is the evidence that we landed on the Moon?
If tons of photographs and videos are not enough, here are a few more proofs.
- Apollo missions brought back almost 400 kilograms of rocks and soil from the lunar surface. These samples have been extensively studied by scientists worldwide. Lunar soil proved significantly different in its origin and properties from terrestrial soil.
- Apollo astronauts placed retroreflectors on the lunar surface. These devices reflect laser beams sent from Earth, allowing precise measurements of the distance to the Moon. The reflectors are regularly used today by scientists around the world.
- Several countries, including the Soviet Union, independently monitored the Apollo missions, confirming the spacecraft’s trajectories on their way to the Moon and back.
- Modern lunar missions, like NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, have captured high-resolution images of the Apollo landing sites. These images show the remnants of the lunar modules, rover tracks, and even footprints left by the astronauts.
Is the flag still on the Moon?
The American astronauts left six flags on the Moon. According to the images made by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the flags are still standing except for the Apollo 11 one — it was knocked down during the spacecraft’s liftoff. Due to the lack of atmosphere on the Moon, unfiltered solar radiation has likely bleached all the flags white.
Is there wind on the Moon?
Wind is caused by the movement of air, and since the Moon has no air, there can be no wind. By the way, the absence of wind also means that footprints and other marks left by astronauts during the Apollo missions can remain undisturbed for millions of years. Want to learn other interesting facts about the Moon? Check out our infographic!
What countries have landed on the Moon?
As of 2024, only 5 countries have successfully landed their spacecraft on the Moon: the Soviet Union, the USA, China, India, and Japan. Among them, only the USA has sent humans to the Moon.
Why haven't we gone back to the Moon?
Manned lunar missions are extremely expensive and hazardous, so there must be strong justification to organize them. The Americans achieved their political and scientific goals with the Apollo program, and temporarily, everybody lost their interest in sending humans to the Moon. However, just recently, the interest returned — with the Artemis program, NASA is planning to send the first humans to the Moon’s South Pole and even build a lunar space station!
Moon landing conspiracy theories: Bottom line
We really hope that after reading this article, you’ll have fewer doubts that people have actually been on the Moon. While healthy skepticism is the basis of scientific thought, it’s important to rely on evidence and critical thinking. Let’s honor the incredible efforts of the scientists and astronauts who made this historic journey possible and hope that humanity will set foot on the Moon again soon! Until then, you can explore the Moon with the Star Walk 2 astronomy app, which provides the Moon’s current position in the sky and features a high-resolution 3D model of our natural satellite.
