surface and the moonscape.
Stereoscopic Closeup Surface.To obtain information about in-place lunar rocks and soil, a close-up stereoscopic camera capable of photographing small-scale surface features was used at the Apollo 12 landing site. The camera was the same type as the one used during the Apollo 11 mission. Fifteen stereoscopic photograph pairs were obtained. The types of lunar surfaces photographed were (1) solid and rock surfaces not greatly disturbed by the LM descent engine exhaust, (2) soil surfaces disturbed by the LM descent engine exhaust, and (3) soil surfaces disturbed by astronaut boots.
The soil in the upper quarter of the area photographed was cohesive enough to form a vertical wall at the edge of the exhaust-gas disturbance and for a clump of it to slide over the surface without fragmenting (right center portion of the photograph). The photograph was possibly taken of an area in which the soil had been compressed by the LM footpad.
The scientific, geologic, and photographic objectives of the Apollo 12 mission were designed to achieve the maximum return of lunar data. The staytime on the lunar surface was increased to accommodate two extravehicular activity periods. The photography accomplished during the Apollo 12 mission documented and augmented the experimental, observational, and geologic data obtained from the extended lunar surface activities and from the scientific instruments placed on the lunar surface. A further photographic objective was to obtain, from lunar orbit, photographs of future landing sites.
During the mission, all but two of 25 70-millimeter and 16-millimeter film magazines carried on board were returned exposed. A partially exposed 70-millimeter magazine had jammed and was inadvertently left on the lunar surface, and one 16-millimeter magazine was not used. Approximately 53% of the suggested targets of opportunity from lunar orbit were photographed.