Next week, NASA will celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of the most pivotal missions in its history - Apollo 11.
The mission saw humans set foot on the moon for the first time, placing a US flag on the lunar surface in the process.
Images of astronaut Buzz Aldrin saluting the flag are famous around the world - but one aspect of the photos is puzzling conspiracy theorists.
The flag appears to be waving in the breeze in the photos, despite the fact that the moon has virtually no atmosphere, meaning there’s no wind.
Conspiracy theorists regularly use the image as ‘proof’ that NASA faked the moon landings.
For example, just this week, one user tweeted: “Apparently there is no wind space, and the shade of the flag on the moon from the sun light ?? You botched this one USA!”
Another wrote: “I am starting to have my doubts about the whole thing. There is no wind in space, flag moving?”
Thankfully, there’s a simple explanation for the flag waving.
NASA explained: “Not every flag needs a breeze – at least not in space.
“When astronauts were planting the flagpole they rotated it back and forth to better penetrate the lunar soil – anyone who’s set a blunt tent-post will know how this works.
“So of course the flag waved.
“Unfurling a piece of rolled-up cloth with sore angular momentum will naturally result in waves and ripples – no breeze required.”
The Apollo 11 50th anniversary celebrations will kick off on Tuesday - exactly 50 years after Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins launched on their historic mission to the moon.
