Unravel the enigmatic world of moon landing conspiracy theories. We delve into the most outrageous claims, dissecting their origins and credibility. Prepare to debunk the myths and embrace the fascinating reality of mankind's monumental achievement.
The Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969 was one of the most astonishing achievements in human history
Yet, some people claim the “giant leap for mankind” had been faked
- Conspiracy theories that the moon landing was actually a hoax that the U.S. government had staged to win the space race with the Soviets began to gain traction in the mid-1970s
- Although these claims were false and easily debunked, they have persisted to this day.
The moon landing is fake because the shadows aren’t right
In images from the moon landing, it is possible to see certain objects even though they are in shadow
- Skeptics argue that if the sun were the only source of light, this wouldn’t be the case
- The fact that you can see some objects in shadow must be the result of special Hollywood lighting
- Although the sun is the main source of illumination, another source is the lunar ground, which reflects the sun’s light
The moon landing is fake because you can’t see Armstrong’s camera
Some skeptics have pointed out that Armstrong does not appear to be holding a camera, so someone else must be taking the picture.
- That isn’t true. The camera he used on the moon was mounted on the front of his suit, where his hands are in the reflection.
The moon landing is fake
The American flag looks like it is flapping in the wind.
- But how can that be, since there’s no wind on the moon?
- It isn’t flapping – it’s made from special flags made from a rod with a horizontal rod inside to make them stick out from the flagpole.
The moon landing is fake because Stanley Kubrick filmed it
The only “evidence” that Kubrick filmed the moon landing has itself proved to be a hoax
- Denial of America’s great progress in space exploration and belief in these myths is “more of an ideological thing-a political thing-than it is a scientific thing,” Fienberg notes.
The moon landing is fake
The exposure on the astronauts’ cameras was too short to capture the space suits and the moon’s surface while also capturing the comparatively dimmer stars.
- Even though you can see the stars from where you’re standing, a quick-exposure camera won’t be able to capture them.