While studying NASA archives of the Apollo 16 Lunar Landing Mission, Robert D. Morningstar (M*) has discovered a brilliant and luminous "Sky Object" floating above the lunar horizon in NASA photo AS-16-109-17761[HR].
M* Statement:
"The bright luminous object in the Apollo 16 photograph taken from the lunar surface caught my attention immediately.
First, due to its brightness as no stars are visible in the picture.
Secondly, even before enlarging and enhancing the photo, the above lunar surface 'Sky Object', as I have dubbed it, appeared to be distinctly triangular and not circular as one would expect a star to be if it were visible, for example, Sirius.
However, I know that due to the extreme brightness of the lunar surface, the apertures of Apollo's cameras had to be set to very small iris settings in order not to 'wash out' images in the photos. This explains why no stars (except the sun) are seen in Apollo mission photos taken from the lunar surface.
Upon enlarging and enhancing the photo by improving gamma levels, contrast and brightest, I was gratified to see that my initial impression was correct. The image of the 'Sky Object' shows it to be a very large, highly luminous triangular object floating above the lunar surface and apparently quite far beyond the lunar horizon. This would indicate that the object was very large.
When one studies the photo with a 'photographer's eye,' one can see that in the composition of the photo, the 'Sky Object' appears to be the focal point of the astronaut-photographer's attention nearly in the center of the frame.
Robert D. Morningstar
Civilian Intelligence Analyst
November 7th, 2006
New York City, USA
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