Who Placed The Camera On The Moon
Out of all the things you might expect to detect on the surface of the moon, I bet 12 Hasselblad cameras wouldn't be on that list
Hasselblad, the Swedish photographic camera company, designed and manufactured a number of cameras specifically for NASA'south Apollo infinite program. The program famously enabled 12 men to footstep foot on the lunar surface, and is the reason why there are 12 cameras on the moon.
NASA quickly realised that one of the well-nigh important pieces of equipment the astronauts would need to have with them would be cameras capable of withstanding the harsh environment of space.
Hasselblad repurposed an existing consumer model, the 500EL, into the Hasselblad Electrical Information Camera (EDC). It was this camera that would exist used to take the, now iconic, photos of astronauts (including Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin) walking on the surface of the moon.
The main differences between the 500EL and the EDC were that a glass plate was added shut to the film plane which placed reference markers on each photograph so the distance between objects within the frame could exist calculated.
The photo plate was besides coated in a thin layer of silver to reduce the risk of sparks from a build up of static electricity. Lastly the outer body of the EDC was painted silver to aid avert the build up of heat from straight exposure to sunlight and improved lubricants were added to help the internal mechanisms of the camera work well in the vacuum of infinite.
From the Apollo 8 mission onwards every astronaut carried their own Hasselblad EDC, including Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin when they became the starting time men to e'er walk on the moon.
Each EDC was also fitted with a peculiarly designed 60mm Biogon f-v.vi lens by Carl Zeiss which actually ended up condign a consumer lens afterwards proving to be an incredibly sharp and high quality piece of glass.
Hasselblad and Zeiss weren't the only ii camera companies to play a part in man's beginning steps on the moon though. Kodak manufactured the 70mm black & white Panatomic-X film every bit well equally the Ektachrome And so–68, Ektachrome And so–121, and 2485 colour pic used in the EDC's.
A full archive of photos from the Apollo missions taken by Hasselblad cameras can exist institute hither.
Cut down on weight and saving infinite is the reason at that place are still 12 cameras on the moon
These cameras were never supposed to return to Globe. After completing their missions and taking on average 1500 pictures each, astronauts were instructed to remove the film and jettison the camera bodies on the surface of the moon to make room for precious moon rocks. In totally 25kg of rocks were brought back from the lunar surface over the course of the Apollo program in place of the cameras.
However, one EDC did manage to make its style dorsum to Earth which recently sold at auction for $910,000.
In 1972 another different model of camera, the Maurer data acquisition camera, also institute it'south way home. Afterwards running out of time while packing up during the Apollo 15 mission, astronauts Edgar Mitchell and Alan Shepard decided to leave information technology mounted within the lunar module and return to Earth.
It was later gifted to Mitchell by NASA equally a souvenir of the mission.
So that's the story of the 12 Hasselblad cameras on the moon
In full 14 Hasselblad EDC'south were taken either into lunar orbit or actually onto the surface of the moon itself, and to this day 12 remain there. And there's me thinking that it was Kodak who actually invented the disposable camera…
SIDE NOTE: Subsequently spending hours researching for this article I institute out that xiv EDC's were used in the Apollo missions, 12 remained on the surface of the moon and ane returned to Earth. I couldn't find whatever explanation of what happened to the ane remaining camera. If anyone knows please go far bear on and I will update the commodity.
1 last matter worth mentioning to anyone who doesn't believe the moon landings actually happened, the level moving picture technology was at in the lx's and lxx's is evidence plenty to prove that conspiracy theory wrong.
Image Credits: Creative Eatables images supplied by NASA.
Since 2016 I've travelled total-fourth dimension working every bit a travel photographer and author remotely. I motility around at my own pace (I detest fast-paced travel) and like to spend a few months getting to know each place I base myself in. Currently in the north of España ?? and loving it.
Source: https://worldoftravelphotography.com/know-12-hasselblad-cameras-moon/
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