Apollo unexplained phenomena: primary documents

The first unusual thing that we saw, I guess, was one day out or something pretty close to the Moon. It had a sizeable dimension to it, so we put the monocular on it. [...]

I am not sure exactly what it was. But it was something that had a definite dimension to it , it wasn't a speck. It subtended some angle. [...]

The second category of unusual observations involved flashes of light inside the cabin. These were seen by more than one crew member on more than one occasion. [...]

The third sighting was on the return trip. There was a fairly bright light source that we tentatively assumed was a laser from Earth. We reported it at the time. [...]

There were particles and flashes of light sailing off in space and appearing to be escaping the Moon. [...]

Strange illuminated objects outside the spacecraft while in lunar orbit. [...]

On November 20, 1969, following the departure of the Apollo 12 crew from the lunar surface, the ascent stage of the lunar module was intentionally impacted into the Moon at a velocity of approximately 1.67 kilometers per second at a distance of 73.3 kilometers from the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package seismometer station.

The seismometer recorded the lunar surface response to the impact. The signal continued for approximately 55 minutes following impact, with a characteristic buildup and long reverberation period unlike the impulse response expected from a homogeneous geological body. [...]

The unusual characteristics of the Moon's seismic response to artificial impacts , specifically the extended reverberation period , have been noted in the scientific literature and attributed to the highly fractured, dry nature of the outer lunar crust. Whether this explanation fully accounts for the observed response remains under discussion.

We had light flashes just about continuously during the whole flight when we were dark adapted. [...]

They were present throughout the entire flight , not just in certain locations or at certain times. When we were dark adapted we saw them continuously. [...]

I saw them with my eyes both open and closed. [...]

This catalog includes all reports of unusual lunar phenomena that could be verified to the satisfaction of the compilers after examination of the original sources. Reports in which the observer expressed doubt about the reality of the phenomenon were excluded. Reports that could be attributed to known atmospheric or instrumental effects were excluded. [...]

The catalog covers the period from 1540 to 1966 and contains 579 entries. [...]

1587, Möstlin: Luminous streak on the dark side of the Moon. Duration several minutes. [Aristarchus region]

1821, Gruithiusen: Irregular luminous points; bluish light near Aristarchus. Multiple independent observers. [...]

1866, Schmidt: Linne no longer visible as a crater of normal dimensions. Appears as a whitish spot or cloud. Previously catalogued as a crater five miles in diameter by multiple observers over decades. [Linne]

1955, Moore: Aristarchus unusually bright. Measured with photometer as significantly brighter than surrounding area with no identifiable solar angle explanation. [Aristarchus]

1963, Greenacre and Barr: Colorations , brilliant red-orange streaks and patches extending across the floor and wall of Aristarchus. Observed independently by two professional astronomers at Lowell Observatory. Duration approximately 25 minutes. [...] This is one of the best-documented events in the catalog.

1966, Kozyrev: Spectroscopic detection of molecular carbon emission from crater Alphonsus. Interpreted as outgassing activity. This observation, if confirmed, would represent documented geological activity on the Moon. [Alphonsus]

The concentration of reported events in the region of Aristarchus is statistically significant and does not appear to be an artifact of observational bias. Aristarchus is not the most frequently observed feature of the lunar surface, yet it accounts for the largest single concentration of events in the catalog.

The phenomena reported range from transient luminous events of short duration to sustained changes in the appearance of specific surface features. No single mechanism accounts for all reported categories of events. The catalog is presented as a research tool for investigators of lunar phenomena and not as an endorsement of any particular interpretation of the events recorded.

There have been some puzzling reports over the years. Before 1843, astronomers listed Linne as a normal but steep-walled crater about five miles in diameter. In 1866 Schmidt, a famed astronomer, reported that Linne was not a crater at all but looked more like a whitish cloud. Later observers disagreed with both descriptions, saying it was a low mound about four miles across, with a deep crater one mile in diameter in its top.

Much later, in 1961, Patrick Moore, one of the foremost contemporary lunar astronomers, was astonished that Linne appeared to be a normal crater about three miles in diameter. Moore examined it with two telescopes, then called another astronomer. He examined it with a third instrument and reported a similar inexplicable appearance. The following night was cloudy, but the next night Linne appeared as Moore had always seen it , a gently rounded dome with a small crater on top. Moore attributed the changes to unusual lighting effects. [...]

The objectives of Project Moon-Blink are: development of devices to improve observation of unusual color occurrences on the Moon in order to record and identify such phenomena; and establishment of a lunar surveillance program via telescope employing this specially designed equipment. [...]

The phenomenon of transient lunar coloration is well established. Its cause is not. The program described in this report is designed to provide a systematic means for detecting, recording, and ultimately understanding these events. [...]