Why are there no stars in this picture of the earth as viewed from the moon on apollo11?
Because the earth and moon in that photo are much brighter than the stars, and so the camera's exposure was metered to the earth and moon, which did not allow the stars enough time to come through on the film. If you DID leave the shutter open long enough to capture the stars, then the earth and …
The Short Answer
Because the earth and moon in that photo are much brighter than the stars, and so the camera's exposure was metered to the earth and moon, which did not allow the stars enough time to come through on the film. If you DID leave the shutter open long enough to capture the stars, then the earth and moon would just be blindingly bright white splotches.
Analysis
Key Concepts: Earth, moon, stars
This explanation focuses on earth, moon, stars and spans 65 words across 2 sentences. The depth is typical for Space & Astronomy questions (category average: 68 words), striking a balance between accessibility and completeness.
What This Answer Covers
This is a focused, single-point answer that gets directly to the core of the question without detours.
How This Compares in Space & Astronomy
Ranked #232 of 500 Space & Astronomy questions by answer depth (top 47%). This falls in the detailed tier — above average depth. The explanation goes beyond surface-level but keeps things accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why there no stars in this picture of the earth as viewed from the moon on apollo11?
Because the earth and moon in that photo are much brighter than the stars, and so the camera's exposure was metered to the earth and moon, which did not allow the stars enough time to come through on the film. If you DID leave the shutter open long…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Space & Astronomy questions?
This is an above-average answer at 65 words, ranked #232 of 500 Space & Astronomy questions by depth. The key concepts covered are earth, moon, stars.
What approach does this answer take to explain there no stars in this picture of the earth as viewed from t?
The explanation uses root cause analysis across 65 words. It is categorized under Space & Astronomy and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.