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Author
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Topic: Apollo 11: First photo taken after touchdown
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LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-25-2014 12:34 PM
  
What was the first photo taken on the lunar surface after the Apollo 11 lunar module touched down? The photo was taken from the LM window. Was it frame 5449, 5737 or 5847? |
Bob Shaw
New Member Posts: 3
From: Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Registered: Nov 2013
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posted 08-26-2014 09:42 AM
This is a panorama created from two post-touchdown views from the Apollo 11 LM. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-26-2014 11:00 AM
It looks to me like frames 5449 and 5847 were used to create that panorama: - different magazines (37 and 40)
- different cameras (IVA and EVA)
- different lenses (80mm and 60mm)
Also notice that there are Reseau crosses on the right side only. There are no Reseau crosses on photos taken with the spare (IVA) Hasselblad camera that stayed in the LM. |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 1332
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 08-26-2014 11:10 AM
This is a very good question. You would think that the first photo taken from the moon would have been "pushed" more on the public as just that? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 43576
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-26-2014 11:15 AM
If digital photos existed back then, and if they were downlinking the photos back to Earth in real time, then the first photograph would have probably garnished more attention. But just like the first photos from the Mars rovers, they were only singled out as spectacular until the higher resolution, more scenic shots started to be received on Earth. As all of the Apollo 11 photos arrived on Earth at the same time, the first photo was probably seen as far less interesting than those showing the astronauts. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-26-2014 12:13 PM
It looks like the CDR took the three photos in the first post. |
Bob Shaw
New Member Posts: 3
From: Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Registered: Nov 2013
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posted 08-26-2014 12:43 PM
The panorama was indeed constructed from the two images noted above - I simply grabbed the source images from the top of this thread and merged them. |
stsmithva
Member Posts: 1940
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 08-26-2014 06:10 PM
It was smart of them to take a photo immediately upon arrival like that, so they could remember where they parked. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-26-2014 09:22 PM
Here is the window photography plan from the surface checklist. The black and white film is mentioned first, so maybe frame 5737 was the first photo. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-27-2014 11:00 AM
The first photos taken after touchdown would have the longest shadows. Later photos would have slightly shorter shadows. Is it possible that such subtle changes in shadow length could be detected in the three photographs being discussed? Could the first photo taken after touchdown be determined by shadow length?
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Headshot
Member Posts: 891
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 08-27-2014 07:22 PM
It's possible, but may be very difficult. The sun, as seen from the lunar surface, moves at about a degree per 1.82 hours, a lunar day lasts 655.68 hours. If there were a significant time interval between the first picture and subsequent pictures, there may be a difference in shadow lengths. But if they were taken within a few minutes of each other, the shadow length differences may not be measurable.As info, the time interval from lunar landing to Armstrong's boot on the ground was about 6.6 hours, but probably a significant portion was taken up with EVA prep. So the images were probably taken sometime during the first four hours after landing.
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Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 1332
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 08-28-2014 10:21 AM
Steve, that was a good one. But seriously did Neil or Buzz take a good panorama after the EVA? |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3324
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-28-2014 01:56 PM
AS11-37-5449 is described as the "first picture taken by a person on another world" in this panoramic photo of the Apollo 11 landing site from the Astronomy Picture of the Day website.Rather noteworthy, I would say. What is the NASA description for AS11-37-5449? Does it mention that it is the first? The APOD pan also contains frames from different magazines. Is there a high-res panoramic photo of Magazine 37 frames 5449 to 5453? |
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