Mission: Apollo 16

Taken/released on: 22/4/1972

Charles M. Duke, Jr., in shadow of Lunar Module behind ultraviolet camera

Astronaut Charles M. Duke, Jr., lunar module pilot, stands in the shadow of the Lunar Module (LM) behind the ultraviolet (UV) camera which is in operation. This photograph was taken by astronaut John W. Young, mission commander, during the mission's second extravehicular activity (EVA-2). The UV camera's gold surface is designed to maintain the correct temperature. The astronauts set the prescribed angles of azimuth and elevation (here 14 degrees for photography of the large Magellanic Cloud) and pointed the camera. Over 180 photographs and spectra in far-ultraviolet light were obtained showing clouds of hydrogen and other gases and several thousand stars. The United States flag and Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) are in the left background. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (lm) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the Moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (csm) "Casper" in lunar orbit. (Source: JSC)

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