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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Apollo 11: Catching Some Sun
NASA ^ | 12 Sep, 2026 | Image Credit: Apollo 11, NASA (Image scanned by Kipp Teague)

Posted on 09/13/2026 4:41:18 AM PDT by MtnClimber

[Note: Catching up for yesterday]

Explanation: Bright sunlight glints as long dark shadows mark this image of the surface of the Moon. It was taken on July 20, 1969, by Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first to walk on the lunar surface. Pictured is the mission's lunar module, the Eagle, and spacesuited lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin. Aldrin is unfurling a long sheet of foil also known as the Solar Wind Composition Experiment. Exposed facing the Sun, the foil trapped particles streaming outward in the solar wind, catching a sample of material from the Sun itself. Along with 22 kilograms of moon rocks and lunar soil samples, the solar wind collector was returned for analysis in earthbound laboratories.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
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To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 09/13/2026 4:41:19 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 09/13/2026 4:41:43 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 31R1O; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

3 posted on 09/13/2026 4:42:22 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

What a great picture and happy memory. Thanks for this thread.


4 posted on 09/13/2026 4:58:09 AM PDT by Freee-dame (The left never dreamed de that Trump would be back in the White House in 2025. )
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To: MtnClimber; SunkenCiv
Aldrin is unfurling a long sheet of foil

Now if that isn't foreshadowing for the Moon Landing hoax conspiracies, what is?!!

5 posted on 09/13/2026 7:02:29 AM PDT by Ezekiel (🆘️ "Come fly with US". 🔴 Ingenuity -- because the Son of David begins with MARS ♂️, aka every man)
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To: MtnClimber

It’s so amazing that this was done in 1969!


6 posted on 09/13/2026 7:08:40 AM PDT by beethovenfan (The REAL Great Reset will be when Jesus returns. )
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To: Freee-dame

Dittos. What a strange environment. Full sunlight with a black sky. I can’t wait to see astronauts back on the Moon.


7 posted on 09/13/2026 7:30:21 AM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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To: beethovenfan

And it worked so well that the politicians shut it all down after Apollo 17…..


8 posted on 09/13/2026 7:32:00 AM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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To: MtnClimber

.


9 posted on 09/13/2026 7:36:21 AM PDT by redinIllinois (Pro-life, accountant, gun-totin' Grandma - multi .issue vor in)
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To: telescope115

Kind of a nightmare for photographers what with the whole surface being a natural reflector.


10 posted on 09/13/2026 7:51:51 AM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: telescope115
And it worked so well that the politicians shut it all down after Apollo 17…..

Ya, they did. Do you know why? Because it was tremendously expensive and we as a nation were going broke. That’s the truth!

11 posted on 09/13/2026 7:57:44 AM PDT by Ditto
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