Hi
Yes we did REALLY go to the Moon.
A few things:
For a start-off, the main reason for USA to go to the Moon in '69 was to get one over on the Russians. the russians obviously didn't want this, so they were tracking what was happening VERY carefully. If they didn't go, the Russians would have known, and they'd have been screaming about it.
These 'cospiracy-theorist' followers put forward several reasons why they say the footage was faked - but the problem is that many of the things they pick on actually SUPPORT the footage being genuine.
The Moon-Hoax theorists put forward reasons why the footage is fake, but they do it in such a way as to mis-inform the layman, who doesn't really understand the mechanics behind a low-gravity, no atmosphere, environment.
They say that - for instance - the flag waved in a breeze, and quite rightly that there wouldn't be a breeze on the Moon.
BUT - if you watch that footage carefully, the flag has a bar at the top (to hold it up) - and when that bar moves, it sets up a 'wave' down the flag.
This is a PROPER wave - similar in concept to a radio wave, or light wave - except that the movement is passing through the medium of fabric.
When a flag moves in the wind - It is not a wave - calling it a wave is actually not a good description - a flag moving in the wind is a 'flutter'.
The movement of the flag on the Moon was a proper 'wave'
For a good de-bunking of the Hoax-theorist's statements, look here:
Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy: Introduction to Bad Astronomy
And for more in-depth de-bunking, that site also offers links to more technical articles.
One more - Mirrors
No - it wasn't done with mirrors
There are mirrors on the Moon - that were installed by astronauts.
These mirrors are mainly used for bouncing lasers off, to measure the distance of the Moon, VERY accurately.
Many people have seen this done because they do it at public outreach events sometimes.
The thing is that in 1969, the total computung power of the whole lunar lander, was roughly equivalent to a ZX spectrum computer from the 80s
To land a craft softly, then install mirrors, and align them accurately enough to bounce lasers off it - HAD to be done by a human - In 1969 it was impossible to make a robot capable of such a thing.
Buzz Aldrin - aged 81 at the time, actually chinned a 37yr-old Hoax theorist when he approached him angrily, calling him a Liar and a Coward
