# Moon landing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 10, 2001, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-landing/49296 "2001-01-10T06:01:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-landing/49296/1 "2001-01-10T06:01:22Z")
What phase was the moon in, from earth’s POV, during the first moon landing? ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-landing/49296/2 "2001-01-10T06:23:37Z")
According to this site ( [http://www.stellafane.com/moon\_phase/moon\_phase.htm](http://www.stellafane.com/moon_phase/moon_phase.htm) ), the moon was new on the 14th, and full on the 29th, so I guess it would be a waxing crescent on July 20, 1969. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-landing/49296/3 "2001-01-10T06:54:05Z")
Oh. Shame that it was only a crescent. I saw a gorgeous full moon this evening, and I started wondering: I’ve heard a lot of people talk about watching the moon landing on TV, but did anyone go outside to look at the moon itself, maybe through a telescope? But if it was a crescent, that would have wiped out the possiblity of seeing some extra little dots on the surface, if that would have been possible at all. Thank you, though. ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-landing/49296/4 "2001-01-10T07:08:53Z")
[How stuff works](http://www.howstuffworks.com/question188.htm) explainds why it’s not possible with today’s telescopes to see man-made objects on the moon, then or now. Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-landing/49296/5 "2001-01-10T07:12:48Z")
Oh. Well, so much for romance. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-landing/49296/6 "2001-01-10T07:56:19Z")
Why is it that the same people who think that the moon landing was fake think that pro wrestling is real? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-landing/49296/7 "2001-01-10T08:03:40Z")
A full moon is so bright it would completely wash out any surface feature as minute as a human. Astronomers have a difficult time seeing mountains on a full moon, let alone something smaller than the average boulder. Much better to look at surface features on a half-moon or crescent moon, where shadows increase contrast and visibility. But I’d suppose you’d have more chance of seeing a flea on a baseball a few feet distant than seeing a few humans on the moon. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-landing/49296/8 "2001-01-10T11:15:40Z")
I distincly remember being taking into the yard by my dad and having him tell me there were people up there. I clearly remember saying …“I think I see them!” So yes, you can see people on the moon but you have to have the eyes of a 5 yr old. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-landing/49296/9 "2001-01-10T12:55:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > **Oh. Shame that it was only a crescent. I saw a gorgeous full moon this evening…** I saw one too. Wonder if it was the same one? :D:D:D ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moon-landing/49296/10 "2001-01-10T19:49:22Z")
Heehee! I saw it from a vantage point far north of the San Fernando Valley, where I usually am. The view is always good from where I saw it, and this was exceptionally awe-inspiring. First the sunset, which was kind of subtle: the sky was entirely covered with thin ripples of clouds. One couldn’t see the sun itself, but one could see wide pink streaks in the clouds, from one horizon to the other. A while later, I went outside and noticed that the rippling clouds were still there, but the sky was visible in patches. The clouds were moving gradually (we’re gearing up for a killer storm here), and the moon shone bravely whether it was covered or not. It was so clear, I could see mountains on the moon. Though I’ve never been able to pick out either the man or the woman in the moon. Anyway, it was inspiring.