Walking on the Moon: exclusive video revealed

By:AG Staff | October-6-2010

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Remastered footage of the 1969 Apollo 11 walk on the Moon has been shown publicly for the first time.

DIGITALLY REMASTERED VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS of the three-hour 1969 moonwalk have been revealed for the first time to a public audience. They include a clearer picture of Neil Armstrong's descent down the stairs of the lunar module, which was taken from the Parkes Radio Observatory and the Honeysuckle Creek tracking station outside Canberra on 21 July 1969 (Australian time).

The long-forgotten video footage was uncovered during a decade-long search for the original recordings of the moonwalk, and involved lengthy detective work and clandestine meetings, says astronomer and telescope operator John Sarkissian from the CSIRO at Parkes, who headed up the search. "We found lots of videos and things all over the place and we compiled them into a single seamless video of the whole moonwalk", John told Australian Geographic.

This was then restored to clean up the degradation of the videos experienced over the past 40 years, he adds. Though NASA released some clips last year, the full video has only been seen by a few veteran astronauts, including Buzz Aldrin.

The digitally enhanced footage includes Neil Armstrong's first step on the Moon's surface, Buzz Aldrin's decent of the lunar module ladder, the plaque reading and the raising of the US flag. The restoration took months of painstaking work as the videos had to be cleaned frame-by-frame.

Read the full story about the discovery and restoration of the footage here. The footage was shown tonight at the Australian Geographic Society Awards dinner in Sydney. Dr Buzz Aldrin was the guest of honour and received the the AG Society Honorary Lifetime of Adventure award at the event.

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Comments 58

TOA BRIZIK

07 Oct 2010

shameful for the peoples who believe in apollo 11 moonwalk mission HOAX Report
Al

07 Oct 2010

How the Devil did they managed to lose these original recordingsin the first place, which are amongst the most significant of the 20th century? Hope the people responsible for this had their a's kicked Report
Alex

07 Oct 2010

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiice! Report
Leese

07 Oct 2010

Toa the only shameful person is YOU. Report
Hello World

07 Oct 2010

Good! Report
Ben Belgium

07 Oct 2010

Grosse rigolade que de savoir que la NASA a égaré de telles images pendant ces nombreuses années. J'ai vraiment dure d'y croire !!!!
I think that's really a joke. Maybe they never went on the moon. Report
chris

08 Oct 2010

Pfff! Ca m'a tjs bien fait rire!!!! Neil amdtrong le premier homme à avoir marché sur la lune!!!! Et qu'en est-il du cameraman qui a saisi ces images???? Report
Tom

08 Oct 2010

Brasil here! Neil and Buzz are heroes! Report
Tom

08 Oct 2010

Brasil here! Neil and Buzz are heroes! Report
G.F

08 Oct 2010

Ceux qui disent que c'est faux essayez au moins de donner un argument valable parce que la franchement vous êtes ridicules Report
Meynadyer

08 Oct 2010

les arguments négationnistes ne sont vraiment que du vent !
et qui tenait la caméra ?
Buzz Aldrin, deuxième homme sur la lune
pour la descente de l'échelle, la caméra avait été placée par Armstrong avant de descendre Report
Red lunarrock

09 Oct 2010

Pour les sceptiques, le drapeau ne bouge que lors de sa manipulation et il tient car il y a une potence, ensuite on voit parfaitement que ce drapeau ne bouge plus d'un mm, ce qui est normal, la caméra qui filme la descente de Neil Armstrong a été fixée avant la descente sur un support prévu à cet effet et accessible de l'intérieur du LEM, elle est ensuite déplacée par Armstrong pour la descente de Buzz et placée sur un pied lors de l'appel du président. Report
Red lunarrock

09 Oct 2010

SUITE - pour la question du retard, la distance terre lune est de 384 400 km (soit un peu plus d'une seconde-lumière), si on écoute patiemment et attentivement on entend bien ce très léger retard entre les questions et les réponses et la technologie de l'époque n'a rien à voir là dedans. Report
ralph

09 Oct 2010

Born in 1965, I was a little boy of 4 years and I remember this, my brother came to make me watch this historical event.
I never forget those mans and what they did this day. Brilliant and beautiful day. Report
Red lunarrock

09 Oct 2010

Suite et fin. Les ondes radios se déplacent à la vitesse de la lumière 300000 KM/sec et il ne peut pas y avoir de décalage son-image puisque le son est transmis en même temps que l'image et va donc, à la même vitesse qu'elles, par contre il y a bien un léger décalage(1 sec et des poussières) entre les questions et les réponses.(ce qui est normal)
Les sceptiques sont juste des êtres qui ne croient même pas ce qui est devant leur nez. Report
Mos

09 Oct 2010

aucun trucage ni effets speciaux , les usa ont bel et bien été sur la lune ca ne se remet pas en question . Report
Jose

09 Oct 2010

Les escribo desde México, Son increible estas imagenes jamas habia visto algo tan claro, hasta me emocioné como si fuera la priemra vez. Report
ALBERTOSEN

09 Oct 2010

MARAVILLOSO, INCREIBLE. Report
Javier

09 Oct 2010

I was 19 when that occurs and I feel part of the history of mankind Report
Sady Delgado Ch.

09 Oct 2010

Desde Chile. Las imágenes son maravillosas y desmienten las dudas de los escepticos. Report
Sady Delgado Ch.

09 Oct 2010

Desde Chile. Las imágenes son maravillosas y desmienten las dudas de los escepticos. Report
Pandoratres

09 Oct 2010

Tampoco creían a Colón de que la Tierra era redonda. Escépticos los ha habido siempre y siempre los habrá.
Los negacionistas se creen mas snobs o mas frikis negándolo que aceptándolo.
Por qué negar la grandeza de la tecnología humana?
Lo triste es que muchos se basan en un documental "Operación Luna" que es simplemente falso, similar a la "Guerra de los Mundos" emitida por Orson Wells.
Si no consulten:
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operació;n_Luna
Y nada a negar, qu es mas cool!!!

Report
Pandoratres

09 Oct 2010

Tampoco creían a Colón de que la Tierra era redonda. Escépticos los ha habido siempre y siempre los habrá.
Los negacionistas se creen mas snobs o mas frikis negándolo que aceptándolo.
Por qué negar la grandeza de la tecnología humana?
Lo triste es que muchos se basan en un documental "Operación Luna" que es simplemente falso, similar a la "Guerra de los Mundos" emitida por Orson Wells.
Si no consulten:
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operació;n_Luna
Y nada a negar, que es mas cool!!!

Report
christian renard de venezuela

09 Oct 2010

la unica interrogante que siempre he tenido es si fue la primera vez que alunizaban como es que toman la imagen de neil astrong bajando del modulo ¿ donde esta la camara ? porque si no como pueden explicar las imagenes tomadas Report
François de Bruxelles

09 Oct 2010

A Loulou : Le drapeau bouge uniquement parce que le cosmonaute le manipule !! Report
roufeng

09 Oct 2010

Anybody can find that the flag in the video is somewhat asway when the crew plugs the mast into soil. This performance is caused by inertia or wind ? I have not seen clearly that the crew is shaking the mast to cause the flag to float. It is hard to believe that the floating flat is a consequence of inertia. But as we know there is no wind in the moon. It is what or who cause the flag to float ? Report
Issao

09 Oct 2010

Who is filming? The man before the first man? Report
Pitó

10 Oct 2010

Des de Catalunya, jo crec que és veritat, yo creo que es verdad, i think it is true. Report
Fab77

10 Oct 2010

Very nice marketing!!!!
The "Australian Geographic" is realy not scientific!
It's realy stupid to find a new hoax video 40 years later...

Pour les frenchy comme moi, je dit juste que c'est un canular marketing!
Fuyez le "Autralian Geographic" si vous êtes à la recherche d'infos scientifiques!!! Report
Last Veteran

11 Oct 2010

in the homepage (coloured) photo, why the flag's shadow is opposite than Eagle and astronaught's? Report
neants2000

12 Oct 2010

LES AMÉRICAINS NON JAMAIS MIS LES PIED SUR LA LUNE,PLUSIEURS TÉMOIGNAGES SUR CE SUJET ET REPORTAGE L'ON PROUVE :
AMERICANS NOT EVER PUT YOUR FEET ON THE MOON, MORE EVIDENCE ON THIS MATTER AND REPORT ON THE PROOF:
L'imposture de la lune
The sham of the moon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTuTzi5xBZw&fe... />
Mythbusters Moon Hoax Photo Explanations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAcXBT-GZCo Report
perplejo

12 Oct 2010

A Cristian Renard de Venezuela: la cámara estaba en una pata de la nave. Report
Margot Wolfs

12 Oct 2010

I am born on 21 July 1969 ! Report
Russell

12 Oct 2010

My 11th birthday was on 21 July 1969. This fantastic footage brings back memories of the local electrical store setting up a number of televisions in the rooms at school in my home town of Gloucester for the students to watch the moon landing. An unforgettable experience and an incredible achievement. Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins were 3 great pioneers of the 20th century. Report
neants2000

12 Oct 2010

LES AMÉRICAINS NON JAMAIS MIS LES PIED SUR LA LUNE,PLUSIEURS TÉMOIGNAGES SUR CE SUJET ET REPORTAGE L'ON PROUVE :
AMERICANS NOT EVER PUT YOUR FEET ON THE MOON, MORE EVIDENCE ON THIS MATTER AND REPORT ON THE PROOF:
L'imposture de la lune
The sham of the moon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTuTzi5xBZw&fe...

Mythbusters Moon Hoax Photo Explanations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAcXBT-GZCo Report
Akpilotdc1

12 Oct 2010

To all you hoax believers: How do you explain the mirror that was placed on the moon and still used to this day to bounce a laser off of back to earth to measure the orbital position of the moon and earth?? Bunch of idiots. Report
Roger

12 Oct 2010

@neants2000

Pauvre Crétin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EWPse9amUE&fe... Report
Eddie

12 Oct 2010

I was serving in Germany at that time and watched it on TV and found it so fantastic to be watching it and Buz Aldran and Armstrong carrying out tasks and overcome all the obsticles that were put in their way to reach that goal.
There are a lot of sceptics around who don't want to listen or believe what witnesses at the time were seeing, and any kind of proof is not going to change there minds. To see such a significant and historic event was absolutely outstanding. Report
JimMcDade

13 Oct 2010

Splendid! I am grateful to see this more than 41 years after I watched this video live with my family from our living room in 1969. Report
Geoff

13 Oct 2010

Why did the exploration of space by men come to an end? Report
Geoff

13 Oct 2010

Why did the exploration of space by men come to an end? Report
Jack

25 Oct 2010

How the heck did they get that camera on the surface to record Armstrong coming down the ladder. I mean, it was set up perfectly. Did Neil sneak down first and place it there, then scurry back up the ladder for the official shot coming down? Report
Luna

25 Oct 2010

Heureuse de constater qu'il n'y a pas que des débiles sur cette terre qui gobent tout ce qu'on veut leur faire croire. Mais bien sûr que l'homme a marché sur la lune, il a réussi à passer la barrière radio active dans l'univers et tout et tout , il est super fort l'homme, pardon l'américain, puis l'américain il est super fort pour nous faire gober aussi que le 11/09/2001 c'était des terroristes !!! Report
Luna

25 Oct 2010

mais réveillez vous bande de moutons de panurge et arrêtez de gober tout ce que vous voyez à la télé, l'homme n'a pas marché sur la lune c'est IMPOSSIBLE et les raisons vous les connaissez, des petites machines peuvent bien y aller mais un être humain n'y survivrait même pas ! ya même pas à discuter, faites juste marcher votre cervelle au lieu de dire AMEN à tous ce qu'on vous dit à la télé! Report
Taggle

02 Nov 2010

Et si tu pouvais juste fermer ta gueule ? Report
Brian

10 Nov 2010

@Jack
Instead of just stating something and going "see see it can't be real" Look it up. The camera was part of the lander. Engineers can do a lot more than you think. Just because you can't think of the initial solution does not make it untrue. That's why you didn't build the lander and someone else did. Report
Brian

10 Nov 2010

@Jack
Instead of just stating something and going "see see it can't be real" Look it up. The camera was part of the lander. Engineers can do a lot more than you think. Just because you can't think of the initial solution does not make it untrue. That's why you didn't build the lander and someone else did. Report
sunith

06 Dec 2010

i have many questions to NASA and fr this incident........If u are watching capricon one the movie of 1969 you feel like u have doubt. Iam nt insisteing anythg ...bt let me be true .There are many questions which NASA couldnt answer fr this mission .Even the hubble shuttle telescope cant veiw this from HAWAI. then how ..Any way its all NASA gives the information .I too studied this ..Bt many questions are there which NASA couldnt answer .. Report
N.Poulter OAM

04 Jan 2011

I hope the DVD is going to be publically available. Report
J THE GREEK

03 Feb 2011

HI FROM GREECE ..PLEASE LET ME KNOW
1)WHY ALL THIS YEARS NOBODY , NASA , RUSIA , CHINA JAPAN OR SOMEBODY HASN'T YET GO AGAIN??????
2)HOW ABOUT THE STYDIO QUALITY ??????
3)THE MOON HAS AIR PRESOUR THAT MAKE THE FLAG MOVE????
4)IG THE FLAG HAS LEFT THEAR ,,WHY WE CAN'T SEE IT NOW ...LET THE ASTROPHISICS WITH THEIR BIG MACSHINES TAKE A PICTURE ....????
SORY ABOUT MY ENGLISH ....PEASE IN EARTH Report
Reply

04 Feb 2011

Koita, oi "Myth Busters" kanane merika piramata gia auto to thema. H apanthsh gia thn shmaia einai oti koimatizei. Report
epsilon

04 Feb 2011

malakies ton amerikanwn einai ayta..... kai giati den pane kai twra afoy i texnologia tous einai pio ekseligmenh .?? Report
patrick

16 Feb 2011

why there has not been another manned mission to the moon? did we discover everything that was there to be discovered in 1969? there is no need for mankind to go back to the moon?sorry I simply cannot believe that. Report
andrew greece

25 Feb 2011

this is a classic american lie....it is so silly to believe that we could walk on the moon. area 51 is the answer .moreover they could nowadays go to the moon if they could then, but they dont do it...america means a big lie Report
Tangent

20 Mar 2011

Get off the internet and get a telescope, look up at the sky, and more over the moon. Report
Patricia

10 Jul 2011

As to the question of why the flag was "flying" when there is no wind: There was a batten (rod) at the top of the flag so it could be displayed.
As for the hoax, that is all hogwash. Neil Armstrong & Buz Aldren did walk on the moon. Non-believers - get over it!
I made my children watch it as it happened, which did not thrill them at the time, but now they know just how awesome an event it was. Report
Patricia

10 Jul 2011

Thank you Australian Geographic for this wonderful video. Report
silverspaceflyer

27 Aug 2012

The moon landings were hoaxes? . . . not just one, but all six of them? . .. yeah right . . . The Russians were really so stupid and so gullible that they didn't even notice that it was all done in a movie studio (six times) and they gave up their own lunar aspirations based on this . .. To all you conspiracy idiot nutjobs out there, don't you think the Russians, who were tracking Apollo 11, might have noticed if it had been faked and then immediately run out and told the entire world that it was faked? . . In the middle of the Cold War, there would have been nothing that the Ruskies would have enjoyed more . . . but nuh, it didn't happen, did it . . . so if you think it was faked, you are nothing more than a totally uneducated dumbass ! Report