Comments on: Render a man unto the Moon http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:58:56 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: BobR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-13105 BobR Fri, 04 Aug 2006 08:31:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/#comment-13105 I know this is waaay late, but... in regard to the overall "golden cast" of the shadows and objects in the pictures, it's because the light which fills in the shadows is reflected from the gold foil insulation on the LEM, which as you can see from the reflection in the visor, is brightly lit by the sun. The function of the foil is to reflect up to 50% of the sun's energy from the spacecraft thus protecting it from the intense heat. The gold foil is what's lighting the front of Aldrin's spacesuit, much like a "fill-in flash" is used in normal photography to lighten shadows when you're photographing in the direction of the sun. This same golden cast can be seen in other photos taken in the vicinity of the LEM, but it's most apparent in this well-known picture. I know this is waaay late, but… in regard to the overall “golden cast” of the shadows and objects in the pictures, it’s because the light which fills in the shadows is reflected from the gold foil insulation on the LEM, which as you can see from the reflection in the visor, is brightly lit by the sun. The function of the foil is to reflect up to 50% of the sun’s energy from the spacecraft thus protecting it from the intense heat. The gold foil is what’s lighting the front of Aldrin’s spacesuit, much like a “fill-in flash” is used in normal photography to lighten shadows when you’re photographing in the direction of the sun.

This same golden cast can be seen in other photos taken in the vicinity of the LEM, but it’s most apparent in this well-known picture.

]]> By: Andrea Bertaccini http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-13104 Andrea Bertaccini Tue, 04 Apr 2006 17:42:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/#comment-13104 Hi at All Thanks for all commets obout my image Here you can find the real comparsion: http://forums.cgsociety.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=91095 Best regards Hi at All
Thanks for all commets obout my image
Here you can find the real comparsion:

http://forums.cgsociety.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=91095

Best regards

]]> By: Irishman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-13072 Irishman Mon, 27 Mar 2006 19:12:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/#comment-13072 George, I'm not sure I follow you. Note that in your first linked pic, that shows the Apollo helmet *without the sunscreen*. You can see through the clear face shield, and see the head rest in the back of the helmet. That picture is irrelevant for the moon images, because the visor is down for those pictures. Compare to the High Res original image here: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/as11-40-5903HR.jpg The soil in the reflection shows the same characteristic of being more golden than the non-reflection soil. In fact, the only thing in the reflection that really stands out to me is the very near reflections at the bottom - the arm and controls for the suit. Look closely - the suit controls have knobs on top of the box, but in the reflection the knobs are missing. Notice also the difference in the shape of the hand. George, I’m not sure I follow you. Note that in your first linked pic, that shows the Apollo helmet *without the sunscreen*. You can see through the clear face shield, and see the head rest in the back of the helmet. That picture is irrelevant for the moon images, because the visor is down for those pictures.

Compare to the High Res original image here:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/as11-40-5903HR.jpg

The soil in the reflection shows the same characteristic of being more golden than the non-reflection soil. In fact, the only thing in the reflection that really stands out to me is the very near reflections at the bottom – the arm and controls for the suit. Look closely – the suit controls have knobs on top of the box, but in the reflection the knobs are missing. Notice also the difference in the shape of the hand.

]]> By: George http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-13074 George Fri, 24 Mar 2006 23:18:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/#comment-13074 oops, the second image wasn't entered...sorry http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0212/as17-140-21391.jpg oops, the second image wasn’t entered…sorry
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0212/as17-140-21391.jpg

]]> By: George http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-13073 George Fri, 24 Mar 2006 23:17:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/#comment-13073 icemith, there is a subtle difference. I knew of the visors color. Notice in the following image how the reflection seen, barely, on the far right side is not so gold in color. http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/luceneweb/fullimage.jsp?photoId=S69-31743 Also, here is another image which does show the gold color, but, notice how everything is golden (contrary to the rendered image). Also, notice the lunar soil is blue, due to light from the host blue sun (ok, I'm joking on that one). ;) icemith, there is a subtle difference. I knew of the visors color.

Notice in the following image how the reflection seen, barely, on the far right side is not so gold in color.
http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/luceneweb/fullimage.jsp?photoId=S69-31743

Also, here is another image which does show the gold color, but, notice how everything is golden (contrary to the rendered image).

Also, notice the lunar soil is blue, due to light from the host blue sun (ok, I’m joking on that one). ;)

]]> By: Kaptain K http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-13075 Kaptain K Fri, 24 Mar 2006 15:46:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/#comment-13075 All I can say is WOW!!! The early birds got all the good lines. :-( All I can say is WOW!!!

The early birds got all the good lines. :-(

]]> By: Irishman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/comment-page-1/#comment-13076 Irishman Fri, 24 Mar 2006 15:19:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/03/22/render-a-man-unto-the-moon/#comment-13076 The hand looks flat, not curved. The thumb looks even with the rest of the hand, not offset like it should be. Yes, the wrinkles look off, and repeated. But I think the not-curved hand is more telling than repeated wrinkles. The hand looks flat, not curved. The thumb looks even with the rest of the hand, not offset like it should be. Yes, the wrinkles look off, and repeated. But I think the not-curved hand is more telling than repeated wrinkles.

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