Moon Movie IMDB Goofs: Debunked Claims & Interesting Coincidences

[jostpuur]

Anyone around here with imdb account? I thought I would not create an account merely for this one thing, so instead I came complaining here to physicsforums (because I have account here already! :tongue:) Anyway, somebody should put some comments to the moon goofs feedback.

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt1182345/goofs

Revealing mistakes: In the shot where you can see the Earth it appears much bigger than it would in reality.

I guess that means this scene:

http://cdn-www.mania.com/content_pics/000005/41/50/8c62e6c1c9dfa1a3_large.jpg

Looks like invalid claim IMO. The guy who decided that that's a goof had probably seen pictures like this

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Earth_over_Apollo_11_Lunar_Module.jpg

and then decided that the "earth looks too big". Didn't realize that the apparent sizes of the object on the sky depend on the distance between camera and the foreground objects. For example, consider these pictures of the sun:

http://www.aventuraspanama.com/holding%20the%20sun.jpg

http://www.xarj.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/01015_119.jpg

I don't see anything nonrealistic in the moon movie screenshot (except perhaps the stars, but who knows what exposure capabilities future's cameras may have...)

Interesting also, that the goofs don't yet include anything about the Earth strong gravity inside the lunar base. The gravity seemed to be smaller than on Earth only outside the base.

A remarkably improbable coincidence that the cloud patterns on that day in the future look just like they where during the Apollo 17 mission when this photo was taken!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg

 

[Equate]

Write your rebuttal and I'll post it for you on IMDB. :tongue:

 

[Architeuthis Dux]

I can assure you that the apparent size of objects in the sky is indeed affected by the distance between the camera and foreground objects. This is known as the "angular size" effect and is a well-established phenomenon in optics. Therefore, the claim that the Earth looks too big in the moon movie screenshot is not a valid one. It is important to consider all factors, such as camera position and lens type, when making claims about the realism of a scene.

Additionally, the fact that the Earth's gravity appears weaker inside the lunar base is also not a goof. The base may have been designed to have a lower gravitational pull for various scientific or engineering reasons. We cannot assume that the filmmakers were trying to portray a perfectly accurate representation of the Moon's gravity in every scene.

Furthermore, the coincidence of the cloud patterns in the future looking like those from the Apollo 17 mission is just that - a coincidence. It is not uncommon for cloud patterns to repeat or be similar in certain areas over time. This does not discredit the accuracy or realism of the film.

Overall, it is important to approach scientific content in films with a critical eye and consider all factors before making claims about their accuracy. We must also remember that films are works of fiction and may not always strive for complete scientific accuracy.