The Footprints at Tranquility Base
The first footprints on the Moon are still there. With no wind or rain, they could last for millions of years.
What was reported
On 20 July 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed in the Sea of Tranquillity and spent about two and a half hours walking on the surface. They left bootprints, a plaque, instruments, and the American flag, which Aldrin saw blown over by the engine blast when they left.
In 2009 and later, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter photographed the site from orbit, showing the lower half of their lander and the darker paths their boots made in the dust.
Explanations offered
On the Moon there's no air or water to wear the prints away. They will slowly be erased by tiny meteorites and the daily heating and cooling of the surface, which takes millions of years. A laser reflector they left is still used to measure the distance to the Moon.
- When
- Left on 20–21 July 1969
- Where
- Tranquility Base, the Moon (Apollo 11 landing site)
- Witnesses
- The crew of Apollo 11, and orbiting cameras since
- Status
- Confirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.