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 photographic 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 onto 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 for each shot
Every shot contains foreground items (the rover's TV camera and antenna) that impact on as much as 50% each of 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 18711 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
Mission
Time (MET)
EVA #
Title
Astronaut
Magazine
Type
Start Frame
End Frame
Source
Reference Panorama
Sourced Alternate
Updated Panorama
Notes
XVI
106:15:45
Pre-EVA
Post-Landing Window Pan
Young/Duke
113
Colour
18296
18310
ALSJ
N/A
JSC2012e052597
XVI
106:15:45
Pre-EVA
Post-Landing Window Pan - CDR
Young
113
Colour
18296
18303
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
106:15:45
Pre-EVA
Post-Landing Window Pan - LMP
Duke
113
Colour
18304
18310
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
EVA Panoramas - EVA 1
Table 16.2 EVA 1 panoramas
Mission
Time (MET)
EVA #
Title
Astronaut
Magazine
Type
Start Frame
End Frame
Source
Reference Panorama
ALSJ Alternate
Updated Panorama
Notes
XVI
119:33:46
EVA 1
LM 4 O'clock Pan
Duke
113
Colour
18313
18330
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
119:33:46
EVA 1
LM 4 O'clock Pan North
Duke
113
Colour
18313
18322
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
119:33:46
EVA 1
LM 4 O'clock Pan South
Duke
113
Colour
18324
18330
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
122:12:32
EVA 1
ALSEP Pan
Duke
113
Colour
18349
18370
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
122:12:32
EVA 1
ALSEP Pan North
Duke
113
Colour
18349
18360
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
122:12:32
EVA 1
ALSEP Pan South
Duke
113
Colour
18361
18370
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
122:58:02
EVA 1
Outbound Drive to Station 1 - Part 1
Duke
109
Monochrome
17747
17768
ALSJ
N/A
N/A
Traverse images - omitted
XVI
123:14:14
EVA 1
Outbound Drive to Station 1 - Part 2
Duke
109
Monochrome
17769
17774
ALSJ
N/A
N/A
Traverse images - omitted
XVI
123:25:08
EVA 1
Charlie's Station 1 Pan
Duke
109
Monochrome
17775
17793
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
123:25:08
EVA 1
Charlie's Station 1 Pan North
Duke
109
Monochrome
17775
17786
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
123:25:08
EVA 1
Charlie's Station 1 Pan South
Duke
109
Monochrome
17787
17793
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
123:25:08
EVA 1
Charlie's Station 1 Pan - Alternative 1
Duke
109
Monochrome
17775
17779
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
123:25:08
EVA 1
Charlie's Station 1 Pan - Alternative 2
Duke
109
Monochrome
17787
17792
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
123:25:08
EVA 1
Charlie's Station 1 Pan - Alternative 3
Duke
109
Monochrome
17787
17792
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
124:02:22
EVA 1
John's Station 1 Pan
Young
114
Colour
18415
18432
ALSJ
N/A
Alternate from LPI - JSC2012e052598
XVI
124:02:22
EVA 1
John's Station 1 Pan North
Young
114
Colour
18415
18323
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
124:02:22
EVA 1
John's Station 1 Pan South
Young
114
Colour
18425
18432
ALSJ
]
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
124:02:22
EVA 1
John's Station 1 Pan Mono
Young
114
Colour
18418
18423
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
124:02:22
EVA 1
John's Station 1 Pan - Two Charlies
Young
114
Colour
18415
18432
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
124:23:34
EVA 1
First Station 2 Pan
Duke
109
Monochrome
17811
17827
ALSJ
N/A
2nd Alternate from LPI - JSC2012e052599
XVI
124:23:34
EVA 1
First Station 2 Pan North
Duke
109
Monochrome
17811
17818
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
124:23:34
EVA 1
First Station 2 Pan South
Duke
109
Monochrome
17819
17827
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
124:23:34
EVA 1
First Station 2 Pan Alternative 1
Duke
109
Monochrome
17814
17825
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
124:23:34
EVA 1
First Station 2 Pan Alternative 2
Duke
109
Monochrome
17814
17816
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
124:23:34
EVA 1
First Station 2 Pan Alternative 3
Duke
109
Monochrome
17821
17825
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
124:23:34
EVA 1
Buster Crater Partial Pan
Duke
109
Monochrome
17828
17836
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
124:28:40
EVA 1
500-mm Stone Mountain from Station 2
Duke
112
Monochrome
18193
18232
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
124:28:40
EVA 1
500-mm South Ray from Station 2
Duke
112
Monochrome
18233
18239
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
124:48:20
EVA 1
Return to the LM from Station 2
Duke
109
Monochrome
17849
07862
ALSJ
N/A
N/A
Traverse images - omitted
XVI
125:24:40
EVA 1
UV Camera, End of EVA-1
Young
114
Colour
18439
18441
ALSJ
N/A
Note 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
Mission
Time (MET)
EVA #
Title
Astronaut
Magazine
Type
Start Frame
End Frame
Source
Reference Panorama
Sourced Alternate
Updated Panorama
Notes
XVI
143:13:46
EVA 2
4 O'Clock LM Pan, Start of EVA-2
Duke
107
Colour
17420
17440
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
143:13:46
EVA 2
4 O'Clock LM Pan, Start of EVA-2 North
Duke
107
Colour
17420
17430
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
143:13:46
EVA 2
4 O'Clock LM Pan, Start of EVA-2 South
Duke
107
Colour
17431
17440
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
143:31:21
EVA 2
EVA-2 Outbound Traverse, LM to Survey Ridge
Duke
110
Monochrome
17870
17888
ALSJ
N/A
N/A
Traverse - images omitted
XVI
143:42:15
EVA 2
EVA-2 Outbound Traverse, Survey Ridge
Duke
110
Monochrome
17889
17907
ALSJ
N/A
N/A
Traverse - images omitted
XVI
144:14:29
EVA 2
South Ray Crater as seen from Stone Mountain (Station 4)
Duke
112
Monochrome
18243
18252
LPI
N/A
JSC2007e045383
XVI
144:14:29
EVA 2
South Ray Crater and Baby Ray Crater from Station 4
Duke
112
Monochrome
18243
18259
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
144:14:29
EVA 2
Central Portion of South Ray Crater from Station 4
Duke
112
Monochrome
18245
18248
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
144:14:29
EVA 2
Central Portion of South Ray Crater from Station 4 Alternative 1
Duke
112
Monochrome
18245
18252
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
144:14:29
EVA 2
Baby Ray Crater from Station 4
Duke
112
Monochrome
18253
18254
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
144:15:20
EVA 2
Stubby Crater from Station 4
Duke
112
Monochrome
18260
18268
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
144:15:49
EVA 2
LM, Smoky Mountain, North Ray Crater, and Ravine Crater from Station 4
Duke
112
Monochrome
18269
18277
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
144:48:00
EVA 2
John's Station 4 Pan
Young
107
Monochrome
17467
17489
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
144:48:00
EVA 2
Station 4 Crater Detail, High Resolution
Young
107
Monochrome
17470
17473
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
144:48:00
EVA 2
John's Station 4 Pan, Northern Portion
Young
107
Monochrome
17470
11317
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
144:56:49
EVA 2
Charlie's Station 4 Pan
Duke
110
Monochrome
17952
17974
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
144:56:49
EVA 2
Station 4 Rover
Duke
110
Monochrome
17960
17961
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
144:57:16
EVA 2
Station 4 Rover Tracks
Duke
110
Monochrome
17960
17968
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
143:32:15
EVA 2
EVA-2 inbound traverse, Station 4 to Station 5
Duke
110
Monochrome
17975
17990
ALSJ
N/A
N/A
Traverse - images omitted
XVI
145:10:20
EVA 2
Station 5 Pan
Duke
110
Monochrome
17991
18018
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
145:58:36
EVA 2
Traverse Photos - Station 5 to Station 6
Duke
108
Monochrome
17585
17605
ALSJ
N/A
N/A
Traverse - images omitted
XVI
146:11:10
EVA 2
Charlie's Station 6 Pan
Duke
108
Monochrome
17606
17626
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
146:11:10
EVA 2
Charlie's Station 6 Pan - John at the Rover
Duke
108
Monochrome
17619
17626
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
146:29:22
EVA 2
Traverse Photos - Station 6 to Station 8
Duke
108
Monochrome
17634
17662
ALSJ
N/A
N/A
Traverse - images omitted
XVI
146:43:51
EVA 2
Charlie's Station 8 pan
Duke
108
Monochrome
17663
17681
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
146:43:51
EVA 2
Charlie's Station 8 pan - Antenna
Duke
108
Monochrome
17668
17671
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
146:29:22
EVA 2
Traverse Photos - Station 8 to Station 9
Duke
108
Monochrome
17703
17713
ALSJ
N/A
N/A
Traverse - images omitted
XVI
147:56:45
EVA 2
Charlie's Station 9 Pan
Duke
108
Monochrome
17714
17739
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
147:56:45
EVA 2
Station 9 LRV Tracks
Duke
108
Monochrome
17733
17738
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-panorama
XVI
148:09:03
EVA 2
Station 9 Great Sneak
Duke
107
Monochrome
17560
17573
ALSJ
N/A
N/A
This is a collage, not a panorama (images excluded)
XVI
148:41:11
EVA 2
First "Rover Pan" - Stone Mountain
Duke
115
Monochrome
18507
18511
Original
N/A
Panorama created by cropping out foreground
XVI
149:20:40
EVA 2
John's ALSEP pan
Young
114
Monochrome
18449
18467
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
149:20:40
EVA 2
John's ALSEP pan Rover
Young
114
Monochrome
18451
18463
ALSJ
N/A
Alternate 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
Mission
Time (MET)
EVA #
Title
Astronaut
Magazine
Type
Start Frame
End Frame
Source
Reference Panorama
Sourced Alternate
Updated Panorama
Notes
XVI
165:50:58
EVA 3
Start of EVA-3, 500mm Stone Mountain Portrait
Young
105
Monochrome
17053
17116
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
165:57:02
EVA 3
Charlie's Plus-Z Pan at the Start of EVA-3
Duke
116
Colour
18563
18691
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
165:57:02
EVA 3
Charlie's Plus-Z Pan at the Start of EVA-3 HR
Duke
116
Colour
18574
18679
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
165:57:02
EVA 3
Charlie's Plus-Z Pan at the Start of EVA-3 HR LPI
Duke
116
Colour
18565
18591
LPI
N/A
JSC2007e045380
XVI
165:57:02
EVA 3
Apollo 16 Landing Site
Duke
116
Colour
18573
18582
LPI
N/A
JSC2011e118363
XVI
166:53:20
EVA 3
North Ray Crater Interior, 500-mm Pan
Duke
105
Monochrome
17117
17181
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
166:49:06
EVA 3
John's Station 11 Pan
Young
116
Colour
18592
18614
ALSJ
XVI
166:49:06
EVA 3
John's Station 11 Pan - Rover
Young
116
Colour
18597
18607
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-Panorama
XVI
166:49:06
EVA 3
John's Station 11 Pan - Rover 2
Young
116
Colour
18606
18609
ALSJ
N/A
Sub-Panorama
XVI
166:49:06
EVA 3
John's Station 11 Pan - LPI
Young
116
Monochrome
18594
18613
LPI
N/A
Sub-Panorama. JSC2007e045381
XVI
166:58:00
EVA 3
North Ray Crater, 1st Polarization Pan
Duke
106
Monochrome
17239
17248
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
166:58:00
EVA 3
North Ray, 2nd Polarization Pan
Duke
106
Monochrome
17249
17262
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
166:58:00
EVA 3
North Ray, 3rd Polarization Pan
Duke
106
Monochrome
17263
18276
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
167:04:40
EVA 3
North Ray, 4th Polarization Pan
Duke
106
Monochrome
17277
17286
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
167:04:40
EVA 3
North Ray, 5th Polarization Pan
Duke
106
Monochrome
17290
17303
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
167:04:40
EVA 3
North Ray, 6th Polarization Pan
Duke
106
Monochrome
17304
17317
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
167:43:21
EVA 3
Base of House Rock
Duke
106
Monochrome
17341
17344
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
167:54:20
EVA 3
Base of House Rock 2
Duke
106
Monochrome
17349
17354
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
168:09:26
EVA 3
Traverse Photos - Station 11 to Station 13
Duke
106
Monochrome
17357
1738
ALSJ
N/A
N/A
Traverse, images omitted
XVI
168:21:49
EVA 3
Station 13 Pan
Duke
106
Monochrome
17386
17404
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
168:21:49
EVA 3
John and the Rover at Shadow Rock
Duke
106
Monochrome
17390
17393
ALSJ
N/A
First alternate sourced from LPI - JSC2007e045382
XVI
168:35:48
EVA 3
Portrait of Shadow Rock
Duke
106
Monochrome
17413
17417
ALSJ
N/A
XVI
168:51:31
EVA 3
Second LRV Pan
Duke
117
Monochrome
18746
18750
Original
N/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.
XVI
169:01:30
EVA 3
LRV Pan - Palmetto Crater
Duke
117
Monochrome
18765
187771
Original
N/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.
XVI
169:08:50
EVA 3
LRV Pan - Big Sag or Doodlebug Hole
Duke
117
Monochrome
18786
187788
Original
N/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.
XVI
169:19:42
EVA 3
Station 10-Prime Pan
Duke
117
Monochrome
18801
18823
ALSJ
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
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.[9] 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.[10]