Lunar Panoramic Photography - Apollo 16

NASA's Apollo Lunar Surface Journal (ALSJ)[1] records the details of each mission's period on the lunar surface as a timeline of the activities undertaken, the dialogue between the crew and Mission Control, and the relevant documentary records. Each photograph taken on the mission is catalogued there and each panoramic photograph sequence is also recorded. This page tabulates the Apollo 16 panoramas and, where appropriate, provides updated representations of the panoramas blended using more recent technologies than the originals.

Context

Apollo 16 was the second of Apollo's "J Missions[2]" using an enhanced Lunar Module that was capable of supporting a 3-day stay on the lunar surface *and* the delivery of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV or "Rover") to the surface to allow the crew to extend the range of their exploration and to provide remote TV coverage.

In terms of photography, Apollo 16's crew surpassed their predecessors on Apollo 15 in no short measure. 1800 frames were captured whilst on the lunar surface resulting in around 100 panoramic sequences. An interesting point that arises in the subsequent tables is the ratio of panoramas taken by the Commander (John Young) and the Lunar Module Pilot (Charlie Duke) - Duke takes around four times as many as his colleague and this 4:1 ratio is the highest across all the missions.

The Lunar Module (LM), Orion, landed with its door and ladder leg (AKA "+Z strut") pointing approximately due west. The Sun's elevation[3] was around 22°-25° for EVA 1, 34°-38° for EVA 2, and 46°-49° for EVA 3.

The higher elevations of the Sun across the EVAs can be seen through the improvement in the quality of the panoramas; the Sun itself, and any resulting lens flair, is barely noticeable whereas it featured prominently in the earlier missions.

Rover Panoramas (LVR Pans)

Charlie Duke is credited with inventing a new procedure during EVA 2; the "LRV Pan" or "Rover Pan" (also known as a "360").[4] The process of getting on and off of the rover was protracted due to the bulky suit and backpack that the astronauts wore, but Duke realised that by having Young drive the rover in a tight circle he could snap a panoramic sequence simply by pointing the camera straight ahead and continuously pressing the shutter button from his seated position ("click - click - click - click - click -click"[5])

Although efficient in terms of time and effort, the approach presented some issues:-

  • Panoramic sequences are best shot from a single position - in these cases the camera was moved (or was being moved) for each shot
  • Every shot contains foreground items (the rover's TV camera and antenna) that impact on as much as 50% of each image
  • The camera is subject to the movements and orientation of the rover
  • Camera settings have to be changed "On the fly"

The first noted LRV Pan was the sequence AS16-115-18503 to 18511 - see "Timestamp 148:41:11" below. Empirical analysis suggests that the sequence is limited to AS16-115-18107 to 18511 and the result is shown below:-

First recorded "LRC Pan" - Apollo 16 - AS16-115-18503-18511.jpg

Non-EVA (LM-based) panoramas

By this, the fifth landing, the need for contingency photos taken from the Lunar Module was greatly reduced, so low in fact, that only one panorama was taken through each of the windows (and subsequently combined). No panoramas were taken from the LM between the EVAs or after the final return.

Table 16.1 Non-EVA panoramas
MissionTime (MET)EVA #TitleAstronautMagazineTypeStart FrameEnd FrameSourceReference PanoramaSourced AlternateUpdated PanoramaNotes
XVI106:15:45Pre-EVAPost-Landing Window PanYoung/Duke113Colour1829618310ALSJ
N/AJSC2012e052597
XVI106:15:45Pre-EVAPost-Landing Window Pan - CDRYoung113Colour1829618303ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI106:15:45Pre-EVAPost-Landing Window Pan - LMPDuke113Colour1830418310ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama

EVA Panoramas - EVA 1

Table 16.2 EVA 1 panoramas
MissionTime (MET)EVA #TitleAstronautMagazineTypeStart FrameEnd FrameSourceReference PanoramaALSJ AlternateUpdated PanoramaNotes
XVI119:33:46EVA 1LM 4 O'clock PanDuke113Colour1831318330ALSJ
N/A
XVI119:33:46EVA 1LM 4 O'clock Pan NorthDuke113Colour1831318322ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI119:33:46EVA 1LM 4 O'clock Pan SouthDuke113Colour1832418330ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI122:12:32EVA 1ALSEP PanDuke113Colour1834918370ALSJ
N/A
XVI122:12:32EVA 1ALSEP Pan NorthDuke113Colour1834918360ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI122:12:32EVA 1ALSEP Pan SouthDuke113Colour1836118370ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI122:58:02EVA 1Outbound Drive to Station 1 - Part 1Duke109Monochrome1774717768ALSJN/AN/ATraverse images - omitted
XVI123:14:14EVA 1Outbound Drive to Station 1 - Part 2Duke109Monochrome1776917774ALSJN/AN/ATraverse images - omitted
XVI123:25:08EVA 1Charlie's Station 1 PanDuke109Monochrome1777517793ALSJ
N/A
XVI123:25:08EVA 1Charlie's Station 1 Pan NorthDuke109Monochrome1777517786ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI123:25:08EVA 1Charlie's Station 1 Pan SouthDuke109Monochrome1778717793ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI123:25:08EVA 1Charlie's Station 1 Pan - Alternative 1Duke109Monochrome1777517779ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI123:25:08EVA 1Charlie's Station 1 Pan - Alternative 2Duke109Monochrome1778717792ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI123:25:08EVA 1Charlie's Station 1 Pan - Alternative 3Duke109Monochrome1778717792ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI124:02:22EVA 1John's Station 1 PanYoung114Colour1841518432ALSJ
N/AAlternate from LPI - JSC2012e052598
XVI124:02:22EVA 1John's Station 1 Pan NorthYoung114Colour1841518323ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI124:02:22EVA 1John's Station 1 Pan SouthYoung114Colour1842518432ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI124:02:22EVA 1John's Station 1 Pan MonoYoung114Colour1841818423ALSJ
N/A
XVI124:02:22EVA 1John's Station 1 Pan - Two CharliesYoung114Colour1841518432ALSJ
N/A
XVI124:23:34EVA 1First Station 2 PanDuke109Monochrome1781117827ALSJ
N/A2nd Alternate from LPI - JSC2012e052599
XVI124:23:34EVA 1First Station 2 Pan NorthDuke109Monochrome1781117818ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI124:23:34EVA 1First Station 2 Pan SouthDuke109Monochrome1781917827ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI124:23:34EVA 1First Station 2 Pan Alternative 1Duke109Monochrome1781417825ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI124:23:34EVA 1First Station 2 Pan Alternative 2Duke109Monochrome1781417816ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI124:23:34EVA 1First Station 2 Pan Alternative 3Duke109Monochrome1782117825ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI124:23:34EVA 1Buster Crater Partial PanDuke109Monochrome1782817836ALSJ
N/A
XVI124:28:40EVA 1500-mm Stone Mountain from Station 2Duke112Monochrome1819318232ALSJ
N/A
XVI124:28:40EVA 1500-mm South Ray from Station 2Duke112Monochrome1823318239ALSJ
N/A
XVI124:48:20EVA 1Return to the LM from Station 2Duke109Monochrome1784907862ALSJN/AN/ATraverse images - omitted
XVI125:24:40EVA 1UV Camera, End of EVA-1Young114Colour1843918441ALSJ
N/ANote the stitching glitches in the second alternate image; the antenna on the LRV appears to be floating above the vehicle!

EVA Panoramas - EVA 2

Table 16.3 EVA 2 panoramas
MissionTime (MET)EVA #TitleAstronautMagazineTypeStart FrameEnd FrameSourceReference PanoramaSourced AlternateUpdated PanoramaNotes
XVI143:13:46EVA 24 O'Clock LM Pan, Start of EVA-2Duke107Colour1742017440ALSJ
N/A
XVI143:13:46EVA 24 O'Clock LM Pan, Start of EVA-2 NorthDuke107Colour1742017430ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI143:13:46EVA 24 O'Clock LM Pan, Start of EVA-2 SouthDuke107Colour1743117440ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI143:31:21EVA 2EVA-2 Outbound Traverse, LM to Survey RidgeDuke110Monochrome1787017888ALSJN/AN/ATraverse - images omitted
XVI143:42:15EVA 2EVA-2 Outbound Traverse, Survey RidgeDuke110Monochrome1788917907ALSJN/AN/ATraverse - images omitted
XVI144:14:29EVA 2South Ray Crater as seen from Stone Mountain (Station 4)Duke112Monochrome1824318252LPI
N/AJSC2007e045383
XVI144:14:29EVA 2South Ray Crater and Baby Ray Crater from Station 4Duke112Monochrome1824318259ALSJ
N/A
XVI144:14:29EVA 2Central Portion of South Ray Crater from Station 4Duke112Monochrome1824518248ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI144:14:29EVA 2Central Portion of South Ray Crater from Station 4 Alternative 1Duke112Monochrome1824518252ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI144:14:29EVA 2Baby Ray Crater from Station 4Duke112Monochrome1825318254ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI144:15:20EVA 2Stubby Crater from Station 4Duke112Monochrome1826018268ALSJ
N/A
XVI144:15:49EVA 2LM, Smoky Mountain, North Ray Crater, and Ravine Crater from Station 4Duke112Monochrome1826918277ALSJ
N/A
XVI144:48:00EVA 2John's Station 4 PanYoung107Monochrome1746717489ALSJ
N/A
XVI144:48:00EVA 2Station 4 Crater Detail, High ResolutionYoung107Monochrome1747017473ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI144:48:00EVA 2John's Station 4 Pan, Northern PortionYoung107Monochrome1747011472ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI144:56:49EVA 2Charlie's Station 4 PanDuke110Monochrome1795217974ALSJ
N/A
XVI144:56:49EVA 2Station 4 RoverDuke110Monochrome1796017961ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI144:57:16EVA 2Station 4 Rover TracksDuke110Monochrome1796017968ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI143:32:15EVA 2EVA-2 inbound traverse, Station 4 to Station 5Duke110Monochrome1797517990ALSJN/AN/ATraverse - images omitted
XVI145:10:20EVA 2Station 5 PanDuke110Monochrome1799118018ALSJ
N/A
XVI145:58:36EVA 2Traverse Photos - Station 5 to Station 6Duke108Monochrome1758517605ALSJN/AN/ATraverse - images omitted
XVI146:11:10EVA 2Charlie's Station 6 PanDuke108Monochrome1760617626ALSJ
N/A
XVI146:11:10EVA 2Charlie's Station 6 Pan - John at the RoverDuke108Monochrome1761917626ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI146:29:22EVA 2Traverse Photos - Station 6 to Station 8Duke108Monochrome1763417662ALSJN/AN/ATraverse - images omitted
XVI146:43:51EVA 2Charlie's Station 8 panDuke108Monochrome1766317681ALSJ
N/A
XVI146:43:51EVA 2Charlie's Station 8 pan - AntennaDuke108Monochrome1766817671ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI146:29:22EVA 2Traverse Photos - Station 8 to Station 9Duke108Monochrome1770317713ALSJN/AN/ATraverse - images omitted
XVI147:56:45EVA 2Charlie's Station 9 PanDuke108Monochrome1771417739ALSJ
N/A
XVI147:56:45EVA 2Station 9 LRV TracksDuke108Monochrome1773317738ALSJ
N/ASub-panorama
XVI148:09:03EVA 2Station 9 Great SneakDuke107Monochrome1756017573ALSJN/AN/AThis is a collage, not a panorama (images excluded)
XVI148:41:11EVA 2First "Rover Pan" - Stone MountainDuke115Monochrome1850718511OriginalN/A
Panorama created by cropping out foreground
XVI149:20:40EVA 2John's ALSEP panYoung114Monochrome1844918467ALSJ
N/A
XVI149:20:40EVA 2John's ALSEP pan RoverYoung114Monochrome1845118463ALSJ
N/AAlternate from LPI - JSC2011e118362

EVA Panoramas - EVA 3

Somewhere between EVAs 2 and 3, the Reseau Plate on one of the cameras was smeared and all of the pictures on magazine 116 were impacted.[6][7] Note the example shown below:-

Example of smearing on all photos in Magazine 116.
Table 16.4 EVA 3 panoramas
MissionTime (MET)EVA #TitleAstronautMagazineTypeStart FrameEnd FrameSourceReference PanoramaSourced AlternateUpdated PanoramaNotes
XVI165:50:58EVA 3Start of EVA-3, 500mm Stone Mountain PortraitYoung105Monochrome1705317116ALSJ
N/A
XVI165:57:02EVA 3Charlie's Plus-Z Pan at the Start of EVA-3Duke116Colour1856318691ALSJ
N/A
XVI165:57:02EVA 3Charlie's Plus-Z Pan at the Start of EVA-3 HRDuke116Colour1857418679ALSJ
N/A
XVI165:57:02EVA 3Charlie's Plus-Z Pan at the Start of EVA-3 HR LPIDuke116Colour1856518591LPI
N/AJSC2007e045380
XVI165:57:02EVA 3Apollo 16 Landing SiteDuke116Colour1857318582LPI
N/AJSC2011e118363
XVI166:53:20EVA 3North Ray Crater Interior, 500-mm PanDuke105Monochrome1711717181ALSJ
N/A
XVI166:49:06EVA 3John's Station 11 PanYoung116Colour1859218614ALSJ
XVI166:49:06EVA 3John's Station 11 Pan - RoverYoung116Colour1859718607ALSJ
N/ASub-Panorama
XVI166:49:06EVA 3John's Station 11 Pan - Rover 2Young116Colour1860618609ALSJ
N/ASub-Panorama
XVI166:49:06EVA 3John's Station 11 Pan - LPIYoung116Monochrome1859418613LPI
N/ASub-Panorama. JSC2007e045381
XVI-EVA 3Rover TV panormama at Station 11--Color--Video at ALSJ
N/A360 degrees
XVI166:58:00EVA 3North Ray Crater, 1st Polarization PanDuke106Monochrome1723917248ALSJ
N/A
XVI166:58:00EVA 3North Ray, 2nd Polarization PanDuke106Monochrome1724917262ALSJ
N/A
XVI166:58:00EVA 3North Ray, 3rd Polarization PanDuke106Monochrome1726318276ALSJ
N/A
XVI167:04:40EVA 3North Ray, 4th Polarization PanDuke106Monochrome1727717286ALSJ
N/A
XVI167:04:40EVA 3North Ray, 5th Polarization PanDuke106Monochrome1729017303ALSJ
N/A
XVI167:04:40EVA 3North Ray, 6th Polarization PanDuke106Monochrome1730417317ALSJ
N/A
XVI167:43:21EVA 3Base of House RockDuke106Monochrome1734117344ALSJ
N/A
XVI167:54:20EVA 3Base of House Rock 2Duke106Monochrome1734917354ALSJ
N/A
XVI168:09:26EVA 3Traverse Photos - Station 11 to Station 13Duke106Monochrome173571738ALSJN/AN/ATraverse, images omitted
XVI168:21:49EVA 3Station 13 PanDuke106Monochrome1738617404ALSJ
N/A
XVI168:21:49EVA 3John and the Rover at Shadow RockDuke106Monochrome1739017393ALSJ
N/AFirst alternate sourced from LPI - JSC2007e045382
XVI168:35:48EVA 3Portrait of Shadow RockDuke106Monochrome1741317417ALSJ
N/A
XVI-EVA 3Rover TV panormama at Station 13--Color--Video at ALSJ
N/A360 degrees
XVI168:51:31EVA 3Second LRV PanDuke117Monochrome1874618750OriginalN/A
This Rover Pan is "accidental" in the sense that the composite images were taken whilst seated in the rover, but weren't part of a formalised procedure.
XVI169:01:30EVA 3LRV Pan - Palmetto CraterDuke117Monochrome18765187771OriginalN/A
Both of these updated images are identical in content, but differ in their brightness and contrast levels. The black areas are where the rover's TV camera has been masked out.
XVI169:08:50EVA 3LRV Pan - Big Sag or Doodlebug HoleDuke117Monochrome18786187788OriginalN/A
Both of these updated images are identical in content, but differ in their brightness and contrast levels. The black areas are where the rover's TV camera has been masked out. Location name(s) referenced in ALSJ at time reference 169:08:50.
XVI169:19:42EVA 3Station 10-Prime PanDuke117Monochrome1880118823ALSJ
N/A

Table Column Key

  • Mission Flight Number
  • Time (MET) Time since lift-off (MET - Mission Elapsed Time)
  • EVA # Moonwalk number
  • Title Title as extracted from source (i.e. ALSJ/LPI)
  • Astronaut Who took the images
  • Magazine NASA film canister number
  • Type Either Colour or Monochrome
  • Start Frame First frame of the panoramic sequence
  • End Frame Last frame of the panoramic sequence
  • Source Where the panorama was sourced from (Typically ALSJ or LPI[8])
  • Reference Panorama Image referred to by ALSJ/LPI for the given Title
  • Sourced Alternate Alternate image(s) referred to by ALSJ/LPI for the given Title
  • Updated Panorama Unofficial panorama generated by a non-NASA organisation/individual
  • Notes Additional detail

Post mission analysis

The primary purpose of taking the panoramic images was to provide the context, or placement, of the activities undertaken during the EVAs. The initial analysis was presented in the Apollo 16 Preliminary Science Report. The images continue to be revisited periodically with new, cleaner, representations of the panoramas after being processed by increasingly sophisticated software packages. Examples of these include LPI's Apollo Surface Panorama page,[9] NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) 'Anniversary' Panoramas,[10], Mike Constantine's Apollo: The Panoramas[11], and Andy Saunders' Apollo Remastered.[12]

See also

Footnotes

These tables catalogue the panoramic photos captured during the Apollo 16 mission. Entries in the 'Updated Panorama' column have been created using panorama blending software working on the High Resolution scans of the original frames held as the "Project Apollo Archive" on Flickr.[13] Where a Reference Panorama is pre-existing, that has been used in preference to creating a new variant, unless there is additional value to be gained by regenerating it. Apart from some source image masking, all such new variants have been created using the minimum of processing, relying on the software package's inherent blending and optimisation capabilities - typically, such panoramas have been created within 3–5 minutes as they are intended to be 'representations' rather than 'definitive' examples. Consequently, brightness and contrast levels, as well as the removal of some frame-edges, have not been adjusted.

All 5-digit image references relate to the last 5 digits of the image names. The full image names follow the format AS16-MMM-NNNNN, where MMM relates to the Magazine number and NNNNN is the identifier.

EVA images include the overlaying of Réseau plate "crosses" to assist in their post-mission evaluation.

Almost all tabular data, such as time and image identifiers, has been extracted from the source location such as the ALSJ or LPI. The entries in the 'Title' column relate to the term used for the panorama as listed in the source's 'Assembled Panoramas' section.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "Apollo Lunar Surface Journal". www.nasa.gov.
  2. ↑ "Apollo Lunar Exploration Missions (ALEM) Program and Mission Definition" (PDF). Lunar and Planetary Institute. NASA. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  3. ↑ "Sun Angles". www.nasa.gov.
  4. ↑ "Apollo 16: EVA 2: Return to the LM". www.nasa.gov.
  5. ↑ "Apollo 16: EVA 3: Return to the LM". www.nasa.gov.
  6. ↑ "Apollo 16 Mission Report" (PDF). Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  7. ↑ "Apollo 16 Technical Debrief" (PDF). Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  8. ↑ "Lunar and Planetary Institute".
  9. ↑ "LPI (Lunar and Planetary Institute) Apollo Surface Panoramas". Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  10. ↑ "Apollo Panoramas". Flickr. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  11. ↑ Constantine, Mike (2015). Apollo: The Panoramas. London: Moonpans.com Ltd. ISBN 978-0993373107.
  12. ↑ Saunders, Andy (2022). Apollo remastered. Dublin: Particular Books. ISBN 9780241508695.
  13. ↑ "Project Apollo Archive". Flickr.
  14. ↑ "Apollo 16 Map and Image Library". www.nasa.gov.
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