Conspiracy Theories
China is now being accused of possibly faking images sent back by its first lunar probe. The internet-fueled conspiracy theories center on an image that the Chinese government released that very closely resembles a NASA image. China vehemently denies the charges being leveled.
The head scientist of China's flagship lunar probe programme has been forced to defend the authenticity of its first published photograph after internet moon-gazers suggested it might be a copy.
The Chinese prime minister, Wen Jiabao, unveiled the first photograph sent back on the inaugural mission of the Chang-e 1 lunar probe amid much patriotic emotion last week.
But in a response to public scepticism unusual for such a token of national pride, internet bulletin boards began pointing out the similarity of the photograph to one published by NASA, the American space agency, two years ago.
Ouyang Ziyuan, head scientist of the China Lunar Exploration Project, issued a statement insisting the photograph had not been copied and really was genuine.
"China's first moon photo is absolutely not a fake,” he said, adding that though the two shots were of the same part of the moon's surface, a new crater was shown in the Chinese version.
There are a few problems with the accusations, though. First, there is a new crater in the Chinese image. Easily photoshopped, of course. Second, the shadows are hitting at completely different angles in the two images. Third, NASA has imaged the entire surface of the moon - it would be highly unlikely that China could find a totally new image anywhere on it. Could it be faked? Sure. I could photoshop the two images myself and make it look like Elvis was down there, But did China fake this? Probably not. Seems like just another silly "controversy" generated from very little "evidence".
Which means it will live forever.
By Blackhawk, Monday, 3 December , 2007 @ 8:05 pm
Hmpf. You can’t convince some people. Even if the Chinese Lunar probe returns pix of Apollo I’s landing site, complete with footprints, they’ll still contend that it was all done on the back lots at Universal Studios.
And NASA paid the Chinese to doctor the photo.
At least that’s what the voices in their heads say…
By Bleepless, Monday, 3 December , 2007 @ 8:23 pm
It seems unlikely that anyone would copy a photo and then fake a new crater. The fake would be conspicuous the next time someone else took a snapshot of the same area.
By martian, Tuesday, 4 December , 2007 @ 8:16 am
I wonder if they remted the same studio to fake this that NASA used to fake the moon landings………………………………………. /kill sarcasm