Ever wonder why stars are missing from Apollo moon landing photos? It isn't a mystery—it’s simple photography. Because the lunar surface and white spacesuits reflect intense sunlight, astronauts had to use fast shutter speeds and low sensitivity, just like taking a photo on a bright day on Earth. These settings prioritize the bright foreground, making distant, faint stars invisible to the lens. If you boost the exposure on the original files, that starlight often appears in the background. The black sky isn't a sign of a conspiracy; it's just proof of a perfectly exposed photo in high-contrast conditions.
@Space@lemmy.science.social @science@beehaw.org @science@lemmy.world @space@beehaw.org @space@lemmy.world @science@newsmast.community @space@newsmast.community @space@lemmy.ml #space #science #nasa #astronomy
