Author Topic: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage  (Read 13393 times)

Offline Rob48

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"Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« on: February 18, 2016, 04:15:54 PM »
Sorry if this has been discussed before, but what is the tall white object in the background of this video?



There's no original sound on the relevant section, but I believe this is Aldrin descending the ladder, correct? So is the white thing a piece of equipment already set up by Armstrong?

Offline bknight

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2016, 04:33:22 PM »
Sorry if this has been discussed before, but what is the tall white object in the background of this video?



There's no original sound on the relevant section, but I believe this is Aldrin descending the ladder, correct? So is the white thing a piece of equipment already set up by Armstrong?
It is NOT A 11, as the high gain antenna is in the picture, and that wasn't erected until A 12.  My first guess it is a lens flare artifact.
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Offline Apollo 957

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2016, 04:50:07 PM »
believe this is Aldrin descending the ladder, correct?

Tell us WHY you believe this.

Offline Bryanpoprobson

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2016, 04:51:43 PM »
It's the TV camera that is footage from the 16mm camera..

"Wise men speak because they have something to say!" "Fools speak, because they have to say something!" (Plato)

Offline Bryanpoprobson

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2016, 04:52:27 PM »
PS It's Apollo 12 not 11... :)
"Wise men speak because they have something to say!" "Fools speak, because they have to say something!" (Plato)

Offline Rob48

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2016, 04:54:48 PM »
believe this is Aldrin descending the ladder, correct?

Tell us WHY you believe this.

Because the same footage is in "For all Mankind", and he says the bit about "making sure not to lock it on my way out", which was Aldrin.

But then perhaps the audio and video were not matched up? I know FAM is pretty shoddy with the historical record.

Offline Rob48

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2016, 04:56:37 PM »
PS It's Apollo 12 not 11... :)

Well that's what I thought originally, but the "For All Mankind" footage threw me off the scent.

BTW I am certainly not a hoax believer, or a believer that there were aliens/glass domes/monoliths/Clangers there when Apollo arrived. I just wanted to know what it was!  :D


Edit: the footage is at 6:10 here. That is Aldrin's voice over the top isn't it? But it's inserted in the middle of an  interview with Pete Conrad!

« Last Edit: February 18, 2016, 05:02:32 PM by Rob48 »

Offline Apollo 957

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2016, 04:57:22 PM »
believe this is Aldrin descending the ladder, correct?

Tell us WHY you believe this.

Because the same footage is in "For all Mankind", and he says the bit about "making sure not to lock it on my way out", which was Aldrin.

But then perhaps the audio and video were not matched up? I know FAM is pretty shoddy with the historical record.

FAM is essentially a movie, and yes - there are instances where the audio doesn't match the footage.

However, someone above says Apollo 12, and if you compare the viewpoint of the YT video with the antenna, and look beyond the LM, the 'tower' seems to match the position of the Surveyor craft... so I'd suggest it's that.

http://lunarscience.NASA.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/M175428601RE_25cm_AP12_area.png

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/lroc_20090903_apollo12.html#.VsY-mxiLRko
« Last Edit: February 18, 2016, 04:59:13 PM by Apollo 957 »

Offline Bryanpoprobson

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2016, 05:02:11 PM »
Probably a more representative photo showing the (burned out) TV camera..

"Wise men speak because they have something to say!" "Fools speak, because they have to say something!" (Plato)

Offline Bryanpoprobson

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2016, 05:03:05 PM »
As stated, the hi gain antenna gives away the fact, it is not Apollo 11.
"Wise men speak because they have something to say!" "Fools speak, because they have to say something!" (Plato)

Offline Rob48

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #10 on: February 18, 2016, 05:07:42 PM »
Probably a more representative photo showing the (burned out) TV camera..



Good point re the antenna, I should have spotted that.

Are you sure about it being the camera though? It doesn't look like the right location, based on the location of the high-gain antenna, which is closest to the "up sun" leg of the LM, i.e. opposite the ladder, which was on the shaded side.

From that picture, the camera is up-sun from the LM.


Offline Bryanpoprobson

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #11 on: February 18, 2016, 05:13:54 PM »
The shape gives an indication that it's the TV Camera if I wasn't just on my way to bed I'd search some more, I'm sure if you look, there will be an almost exact match for the 16mm view with a HR image.
"Wise men speak because they have something to say!" "Fools speak, because they have to say something!" (Plato)

Offline Rob48

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #12 on: February 18, 2016, 05:19:39 PM »
Unless I've got my angles totally wrong, it looks as though the footage of Bean descending the ladder was taken from that camera, or at least a point near to it. So that can't be what is  visible on the far side of the LM.

Once again, I am certainly not advocating any kind of conspiracy theory, I am just genuinely curious.

I did look through the A12 magazines on Flickr a few days ago (when I thought it was A12, and before I got misdirected onto A11!) but I couldn't find anything visible in the right area.

Offline Rob48

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #13 on: February 18, 2016, 05:26:36 PM »
This is from AS12-47-6993, part of a 360-degree panorama. It looks to be in roughly the right location, based on the sun location. Normally I would dismiss it as a lens flare but the fact it is near the mystery object makes me wonder.



https://www.flickr.com/photos/projectapolloarchive/21036946644/in/album-72157659014150521/

Offline Apollo 957

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Re: "Tower" in background of Apollo 11 (?) footage
« Reply #14 on: February 18, 2016, 05:27:35 PM »
https://www.hq.NASA.gov/alsj/a12/AS12-48-7100.jpg

I can't make out from the YT video if the direction of the antenna matches or not. The relative positions of Surveyor 2 as the 'tower', LM and antenna would seem to match, though