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Buzz's Plus-Z Pan

Corrected Transcript and Commentary Copyright © 2002 by Eric M. Jones.
All rights reserved.
Scan credits in the Image Library
Last revised 09 July 2019.

 

Buzz's plus-Z pan includes AS11-40- 5881 to 5891. Assembled by Dave Byrne.

As shown in Figure 3-15 from the Apollo 11 Preliminary Science Report, Buzz is standing on the northeast rim of the double crater, about 7 meters WSW of the ladder footpad.

Frame 5881 shows the southern wall of the younger, western component of the double crater. The diameter of this component is about 12 meters. There is some overlap with Neil's pre-EVA photo AS11-40-5848.

Markus Mehring notes that the horizon feature beyond Buzz's shadow in frame 5882 is a rim segment in the Cat's Paw crater cluster, as indicated in a comparion between details from 5882 and 82a and pre-landing overhead AS11-37-5447. The horizon feature at the righthand edge of 5882 is another rim segment. Frame 5885 shows the view to the north and, as indicated in a detail, a distant feature which Markus Mehring identifies with a rim segment in the cluster of craters hightlighted in a detail from the USGS site map. See the discussion following 107:05:31.

Frame 5888 shows the northern rim of the older, eastern component of the double crater below Neil's window. Frame 5889 shows the rest of the older component and, running from the center of the right ede to the lower left corner, the northest rim of the younger component.

Frame 5890 shows more of the younger component of the double crater and frame 5891 completes the pan.

Mike Constantine has created a portrait of the double crater. Mauro Freschi has assembled the portion of the pan showing Neil at the MESA.

For many years after the mission, NASA contended that Buzz never had the camera and, consequently, never took a picture of Neil. In fact, frame 5886 shows Neil at the MESA. An extensive discussion with Neil and Buzz about this photo and about NASA's mis-conceptions about who had the camera at this time is linked here.

 

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