The Sky Was Black On The Moon?

I was watching the movie called "Wonder Of It All" where they interviewed the astronauts who walked on the moon. One thing struck me was that they said that the "sky" was so black. They didn't see the stars at all.

The question is... how is that possible? We see the stars just fine and they're bright at night. I would think that the stars would be more if not WAY more brighter on the moon than the earth due to lack of atmosphere. Even with the visor on and facing away from the sun, you should be able to see the stars.

From wiki:

There are no stars in any of the photos; the Apollo 11 astronauts also claimed in a post-mission press conference to not remember seeing any stars.

Rebuttal:

The astronauts were talking specifically about naked-eye observations of stars during the daytime. They regularly sighted stars through the spacecraft navigation optics while aligning their inertial reference platforms.

Okay, but in that movie, the astronauts THEMSELVES said the sky was pitch black.

They saw the sun (brighter than any sun you normally see according to one astronaut) and the Earth. But the sky was still pitch black.

Neil Armstrong said that he could not see stars on the daylight side of the Moon with his naked eyes.[91] Edwin Aldrin saw no stars from the Moon [92] Harrison Schmitt saw no stars from the Moon.[93] The astronauts' eyes were adapted to the brightly sunlit landscape around them so that they could not see the relatively faint stars. Camera settings can turn a well-lit background into ink-black when the foreground object is brightly lit, forcing the camera to increase shutter speed in order not to have the foreground light completely wash out the image

Why does that matter? All you have to do is look at the sky away from the sun and the surface of the moon. Remember, there's no atmosphere.

During early morning or evening on Earth, we still can see the stars. And here we have the astronauts tell us that they couldn't see ANY star on the moon where there is no atmosphere.

It just doesn't make any sense. You would think that the stars would be brighter on moon where there is no atmosphere. Before you say that they had to have their eyes adjusted to the brightness of the moon surface, all they had to do was focus on the sky for a few seconds (remember there is no atmosphere).

Maybe I am missing something? This is not "there's no stars in the moon photos", this is the astronauts THEMSELVES viewing the sky.

same reason you can't see stars (or very few) in the city at night, light polution. you know you could easily have done a simple google search instead of writing a lengthy post.

Don't forget what else would be in the sky, the Earth!

During the day, there would be the sun blocking out the stars and at night, there would be the light reflected from the Earth, far brighter than the light reflected off the moon, as it is far bigger.

The same side of the moon faces the Earth at all times, so it would always be in the sky from where they landed.

Just a theory though, don't take this as fact, as I have no evidence. It just seems logical to me.

reply to post by purplemonkey

same reason you can't see stars (or very few) in the city at night, light polution.

Do you know what light pollution mean? That means the saturation of light in the atmosphere. That's light reflecting back to you from the atmosphere.

There is NO atmosphere on the moon.

reply to post by Deaf Alien


why not email nasa and ask them the question?

You will probably get a reply, as its not someone asking baout aliens...

reply to post by nik1halo

During the day, there would be the sun blocking out the stars and at night, there would be the light reflected from the Earth, far brighter than the light reflected off the moon, as it is far bigger.

Right. That's because of the atmosphere and the rayleigh scattering which gives the earth sky it's blue color.

There is no atmosphere on the moon. Sun can't "block" out the stars on the moon.

Even if the moon is so bright on the surface, there is nothing for the light reflecting from the surface to reflect back to you from the sky.

Personally, I think you'd be able to see some stars ... I mean even in light polluted Sydney city you can make some out.

I would have thought it would have been one of their personal quests to see how many stars were visible... for none to be visible with no atmosphere seems crazy.

The moon would be an astronomers dream place with no annoying atmoshpere to get in the way.

reply to post by ppk55

The moon would be an astronomers dream place with no annoying atmoshpere to get in the way.

Thank you. That's exactly what I've been saying. It all doesn't make any sense.

Light wont become visable unless it has something to bounce off/pass through right?

There is no atmosphere on the moon, the starlight comes to the moon but does not pass through anything making the stars appear as though they are not there.

We can see stars from earth because of our atmosphere.

reply to post by MR BOB

We can see stars from earth because of our atmosphere.

No, we see the stars despite the atmosphere. We see the lights from the stars directly to you, refracted, reflected, or nothing at all.

The atmosphere on Earth make the stars dimmer than they really are. They would be sparkling and so bright without the atmosphere.

Um this is probably the most stupid thing I've ever read. period.
So how can the astronauts see what they're doing on their space walks.
They don't have an atmosphere either.

How can the Hubble see the light from distant stars ... ???

I smell someone trying to take this important discussion off topic.

reply to post by MR BOB




[edit on 20-4-2010 by ppk55]

you wont see stars because they erase them, probably due to not been able to determine stars or ufo`s or possibly they dont want us to see the rubbish and space junk thats up there courtesy of humans.

reply to post by ppk55


how am i trying to take it off topic. really the best people to ask is an astronomy forum.

that's what ive been told before when asked.

that light only becomes visable light when it hits something.

[edit on 20-4-2010 by MR BOB]

[edit on 20-4-2010 by MR BOB]

reply to post by Deaf Alien


Id say that it is because of the brightly lit landscape. There is no atmosphere on the moon, and so the landscape is always lit brightly, more than on a brightest summer day on earth. Therefore, astronauts eyes adjusted to this brightness, and could not see faint stars.

I think this effect is caused by powerful rays from the sun. The moon is small and it is surrounded by rays that are much more powerful than the ones entering Earth. Since there is nothing filtering the rays from the sun, it overwhelms the vision. On Earth, we have many filters that help us block powerful rays from the sun which also blocks much star lights.

I would think that mars would have a lot of bright celestial. It is too far from the sun to be hit by powerful rays and there isn't many filter in place.

Originally posted by jazz10
you wont see stars because they erase them, probably due to not been able to determine stars or ufo`s or possibly they dont want us to see the rubbish and space junk thats up there courtesy of humans.

Well yeah. But this is not the photos.

This is the astronauts themselves stating that the sky was "pitch black". They only could see the sun and the earth.

How is that even possible? There is nothing to block out the lights from the stars. If the Earth and the moon are too bright, you could block them out and let your eyes adjust to the darkness and be able to see the stars.

Originally posted by MR BOB
Light wont become visable unless it has something to bounce off/pass through right?

There is no atmosphere on the moon, the starlight comes to the moon but does not pass through anything making the stars appear as though they are not there.

We can see stars from earth because of our atmosphere.

I can't believe you just said that....

Are you embarrassed??

Korg.

reply to post by Maslo

Id say that it is because of the brightly lit landscape. There is no atmosphere on the moon, and so the landscape is always lit brightly, more than on a brightest summer day on earth. Therefore, astronauts eyes adjusted to this brightness, and could not see faint stars.

Then block out the light from the moon with your hands? We all have put up our hands up to our eyes to block out the light from the surrounding.

There is a reason for shields on telescopes.

reply to post by Korg Trinity


If im wrong im wrong why should I be embaressed. we cant all be experts at everything.

please explain to me in detail why i am wrong.

i would like to be corrected.


[edit on 20-4-2010 by MR BOB]

reply to post by Equinox99

Since there is nothing filtering the rays from the sun, it overwhelms the vision. On Earth, we have many filters that help us block powerful rays from the sun which also blocks much star lights.

The rays from the sun are directional. When you turn your head away from the sun and from the surface, those rays will not "overwhelm" your vision due to no atmosphere reflecting back to you on the moon.