Posted on 07/22/2021 6:11:18 AM PDT by MtnClimber
Fifty-two years after the first historical Moon landing, we've been given a brand new perspective of a classic Apollo-era photo.
Reddit user and visual effects artist Michael Ranger, AKA rg1213, chose the iconic photo of Buzz Aldrin taken by Neil Armstrong during the Apollo 11 mission, and 'unwrapped' the lunar vista reflected in the astronaut's helmet.
The result is a never-before-seen, 360-degree astronaut's-eye panoramic view of the Moon.
"What makes this process exciting for me is the fact that this is real," Ranger wrote on Reddit. "If I get any inkling whatsoever that something like this is fake or false, my interest in it completely evaporates. This is great because it's real!"

The photo in question is an iconic one, taken in July of 1969. Aldrin stands near the leg of the Eagle lunar module, his left arm cocked. In the reflection on his visor, his shadow stretches out in front of him, the module shines in the harsh light of the unfiltered Sun, and Armstrong stands with the Hasselblad camera held at chest height.
If you look carefully, you can see Earth, right at the top of the visor.
Ranger's reconstruction follows a previous attempt in February of 2019, and an earlier version from a few days ago using a lower resolution photo.
"I took this famous image of Buzz Aldrin on the Moon, zoomed in to his visor, and because it's essentially a mirror ball I was able to 'unwrap' it to this 2D image. Then I opened that in the Google Street View app and can see what [Aldrin] saw," he explained.
The latest version uses the highest resolution image available, taken from the comprehensive Project Apollo Archive on Flickr.

Upper right is a flying saucer. :D
Ping.
Swamp gas reflecting off a weather balloon. Now, look at the red light...
That thing on the lower right looks like a gondola.
Man on moon?
American?
White?
Male?
Must exterminate, exterminate.
Because loser leftists are jealous of all the things they cannot possibly master.
Note: I said leftists - NOT any specific race.
However, one firm conclusion: If: Leftist, Then: dumbass.
Did she photoshop out the studio film crew?
This is great! Thanks for much for posting. America landing men on the moon was such a monumental achievement.
A rat done bit my sister Nell...
Better than moose bite. They can be nasti...
That’s Aldrin’s shadow.
Looks lonely.
I knew it! My theory that cats are stranded aliens from long ago is proven.
Thanks. 🚀
I can now clearly see the edges of the sound stage... : )
Viking ship. First in the Americas, first on the moon! (Great image, even better idea!)
A moose bit my sister
A five layer 4 x 5 transparency film could capture UV and IR details in addition to the visible spectrum. A Hasselblad tends to capture incredible detail.
Examining certain archives of lunar landing photography occasionally produced anomalous details in what initially would be taken as stars in the background above the lunar horizon. Under magnification, the singular dots would resolve into patterns that appeared to correspond to structured objects rather than diffraction effects. Point reflections off of the vehicle, suits, and equipment did not generate the same effect.
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