Thanks for the answers. I feel a little more sane now

As well as what's been said by others, I think also I love a good argument.
Knowing that the scientific community is on your side helps.

We won't back down because we know we're right and we can prove it.

they won't back down because (pick any/all from list below):

• The government will have beaten them
• their book/dvd/lecture sales will drop
• THEY KNOW THEY'RE RIGHT

My background in skepticism?
Simple: Recieved a chain e-mail threatening a curse on the same day I fasted for church. Thought the hunger pains were the curse. (Emotional scars)
To ease the emotional pain, I threw myself into reading whatever interested me and developed an interest in polar exploration. This led to space exploration, the Sagan blogathon, the BA's website, and BAUT.

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Kai's home computer is broken and her posting may be eratic for a while - ToSeek
"The only way to explore the universe is to go and look." - Brian Cox
Well, the best way to find out is to go there and, find out. - Raven's Cry
'Evolution and science are one thing, but you don’t mess with Yoko Ono. Everybody knows that. ' - 386sx

I’ve had an interest in astronomy and space exploration ever since I was a young boy and saw the moon landings live on television. Around 1995 I began studying the science of spaceflight and rocketry as a hobby. Soon thereafter I started a web page to share my interest with others. My site is an educational tool to teach amateurs about space science and technology.

I had occasionally heard jokes about the moon landings being faked but I had no idea there were people who actually believed there was evidence to support such an absurd idea. Then in 2001 I saw that stupid TV program on the Fox network.

Here I was spending much of my free time trying to educate myself and others about space technology, and on the other hand there were these ignoramuses spewing nonsense and spreading lies about the moon landings. I found the situation intolerable and decided to do what little I could to help. I therefore added a section to my web site debunking the moon hoax foolishness. It wasn’t until a couple years later that I started to participate in web forums; first at BAUT and then Apollohoax.com.

I go through the effort not to convert the hardcore hoax believers because I know that is a futile endeavor – if a person wants to go through life ignorant and delusional there is nothing I can do about it. I created my web page as a resource for those who are truly seeking answers to questions that they themselves lack the expertise to address. And based on the emails of thanks I’ve received, I believe the effort has been worth it.

I participate in web forums because I like networking with others who share my interests. It’s a great way to exchange knowledge, benefiting both myself and others. Even when debating a particularly obtuse HB, there is much good that comes from the discussion for those who want to learn.

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Webmaster, Rocket & Space Technology

Well, to be honest, I never thought about conspiracy theories much until I came to BAUT (for an unrelated question on gravity spurred by a slow day at work which lead to me pondering the great questions of the universe).

I started coming to BAUT regularly, and I started reading the CT threads for entertainment. I don't consider myself a debunker--I don't have any special background or education that really pertains to most claims. When I participate in a CT thread it's usually one or more of the following reasons:

1) Someone said something that I find interesting, or at least evoked a response in me, and I'm participating as conversation

2) I see things and relate things in ways that, to most people, don't make any sense...but to me, are more clear than what may have already been stated. Many of my posts are ideas that have already been said, but then they hit me in "my way of thinking", and I post in the rare chance that someone else out there thinks along the same lines as me.

3) I am very interested in interpersonal relationships and the workings of the human mind. I like to explore some of these things from a "why would x person do this" angle...though admittedly I don't have any formal education in psychology...just a curiosity and attentiveness that I try to apply solid reasoning to.

4) Rarely but occasionally a topic will venture into one of the few areas that I do actually know a little about, such as computer animation/computer generated photographs, or law enforcement/legal process. When 95% of the conversations are over your head, you tend to jump at the chance to talk about something you actually know.

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I'm like one of those idiot savants...well, except for the savant part.

"A long time ago, yet somehow in the future"

I've been meaning to post here for a while, so here goes:

I remember avidly watching all moon landings coverage we got here in the UK, and I had already been following the end of the Geminii program and the early Apollo missions. As a young teenager I tried to watch every second of TV coverage (of anything vaguely space related), soak up every column inch of newspaper coverage, checked every magazine I could get hold of for anything space related and the gold mine at the time were several National Geographic magazines (that I still have some of now).

I continued to follow the Skylab and MIR missions, the Russian "long stay" cosmonauts, and of course the development of the space shuttle and ISS.

It was only towards the end of the 90's I got a hint that some people might be thinking that the moon landings were faked, but I dismissed it at the time as a few daft idiots.

Then in 2001 or 2002 or around then there was a late night discussion program aired on UK TV (Channel 4? or 5?) where there were some people trying to say that certain photos were "obviously faked" because of "lighting issues", such as fill in lighting, or the "spotlight effect" etc..

I had been using a "fully manual" SLR camera for several years, and had a manually operated compact for many years before that, so I understood at least something of ISO settings, exposure etc. It also made me think back to remember some basic school physics about reflection and refraction of light.

Initially I thought "have I been misled all these years?", but then after only a few seconds, even without the benefit (at the time) of any internet research from BA or Clavius, I was able to look at what they were saying and think "no, that's not right". Just using my basic understanding of light reflection and refraction, coupled with that little photography knowledge I already had I could see and was able to in effect prove to myself that what they were saying was bunk.

Then when they mentioned "no stars" it made me cross, as these supposed "photographic experts" had no idea about exposure settings etc!

I had quickly understood the fill in effect as the astronauts were wearing brilliant white suits (in bright "morning" sunlight) in an otherwise fairly dull grey landscape.

The heat issue was mentioned to do with the film but I had that one straight away (vacuum, silver camera bodies etc).

It was after this that I began researching the hoax "theories" and found Bad Astronomy, Clavius, and led me here to this place, one of the few havens of sense on the internet.

To me the moon landing are still mankind's greatest ever adventure, and stick in my mind almost like they were yesterday (or perhaps last week). As a young teenager I can remember the feeling I had at the time, summed up perfectly by one of the Houston ground controllers in "For all mankind" - quote: "I wanted to go with them so bad I could taste it!" (wow! just writing this has it getting to me again!)

I have so many memories of following it, I still feel the tension as Neil is trying to find a safe spot for Eagle to land, with the fuel count down going in the background, then there was the anticipation for more tv coverage from the moon on Apollo 12 and the frustration when they burnt out the camera, the unbelieveable drama and tension of Apollo 13. The computer enhanced pictures for 15 (I think), and how much clearer they now were! The realisation (and dismay) that we weren't going to get any more manned moon surface video for several years (!!! little did I know at the time that there were going to be NO MORE for more than 40 and probably as many as 50 years!!) as Apollo 17 left the moon's surface.

I have followed all (or most!) space missions since, but I do feel that something was lost once the manned moon missions finished. I suppose it feels a little like a small part of our shared desire to explore was removed. What had begun to seem like something shared "for all mankind" then got lost somewhere.

It seems there is far less interest in anything to do with space from the youngsters of today, and the internet possibly suggests to them that the world (and maybe even space?) is a fairly small and easily contained environment we now live in.

Anyway, that's me. I hope there is someone who has managed to read this far and is not yet asleep!

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The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not Eureka! (I found it!) but rather, 'hmm.... that's funny...'
- Isaac Asimov

Are we alone in the Universe? Are we the only intelligent life? Who knows? But the universe is so BIG, it somehow seems such a waste of space if we are ....

Hey, I'm a youngster! I was born the year we lost Mars Polar Lander!

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Kai's home computer is broken and her posting may be eratic for a while - ToSeek
"The only way to explore the universe is to go and look." - Brian Cox
Well, the best way to find out is to go there and, find out. - Raven's Cry
'Evolution and science are one thing, but you don’t mess with Yoko Ono. Everybody knows that. ' - 386sx

Well, there are always exceptions, and you would certainly be an excellent exception! And I WAS making something of a generalised statement! It might also be because I am becoming a GOM (Grumpy Old Man....) .... "youngsters! Bah, humbug!"

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The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not Eureka! (I found it!) but rather, 'hmm.... that's funny...'
- Isaac Asimov

Are we alone in the Universe? Are we the only intelligent life? Who knows? But the universe is so BIG, it somehow seems such a waste of space if we are ....