Author	: Bill Kochman
Publish	: Apr. 10, 2026
Update	: Apr. 10, 2026
Parts	: 01

Synopsis:



One common reason, explanation or justification which is sometimes used by Flat Earth Theory adherents, Moon landing deniers and NASA critics to supposedly "prove" that certain -- or perhaps even all -- Outer Space-based photographs are either completely fake, or at the very least altered in some way, is to point to the absence of stars in such photographs. If you've ever seen certain photographs or videos which were taken on the Moon, or from a craft which is in Outer Space -- such as the International Space Station -- or from any other space vehicle, you will surely have noticed this phenomenon. The sky in the photograph will be rather pitch black with hardly a star to be seen, if any at all.

So the question we each need to ask ourselves is this: Why does this occur? Is it truly because NASA -- the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the USA -- is simply filled with liars and deceivers who purposely create fake photographs in order to advance and enforce their narrative, using graphics editing software -- such as Adobe Photoshop, for example -- photographic studios and Earth=based stages, or other techniques and mechanisms as these rather misguided deniers claim? Is there really an ongoing global conspiracy which has involved literally thousands of NASA officials, as well as astronomers, technicians and other crafty scientists who have in some amazing and unbelievable way kept this all a huge secret for over five long decades now without a word of the "truth" ever leaking out?

My friends, please, let us use a little common sense here. It should be rather obvious to any logical, sane individual that the possibility of maintaining such a fantastical secret for so long a period of time is virtually impossible. Do you even realize how much effort would have to be involved? My gosh, it would even have to include your neighbor down the street who happens to be an amateur astronomer. Every single person who knows the "truth" would have to be sworn to secrecy over the past fifty plus years without exception. Otherwise, the deception would immediately collapse. Are you starting to get the real picture of how absolutely ridiculous this conspiracy theory is? So in response to my previous question, the answer is obviously a resounding "No!". That is NOT why some Outer Space-based photographs reveal a very black sky within which there appears to be no or very few stars.

Now, in the name of transparency, allow me to clarify that I am NOT saying that there aren't any astronomical photographs which have been manipulated or adjusted in some particular way. Of course there are! Furthermore, anyone who understands anything regarding the field of astrophotography, knows that such photographs are in fact sometimes altered for a variety of very valid reasons. However, insofar as serious-minded and dedicated scientists are concerned, it is NOT for the sake of engaging in any kind of intentional deception. Rather, it is to enhance the photograph in some particular way so that we can see the subject of the photograph as the human eye sees it, instead of how the lens on a camera sees it.

So what kinds of methods might be utilized? This may in fact possibly include adjusting the brightness and/or contrast of a photo, adjusting the image's colors, removing a blur if it exists, and so forth. In the case of huge panoramic views of a planetary or lunar surface, this may also include stitching together different frames, cropping out unnecessary portions which aren't necessarily required for context, etc. In other instances, adjustments may be made in order to highlight a particular object in the photo. These are legitimate reasons for editing astronomical photographs. To reiterate, this is NOT done for the sake of deception, but rather for the sake of CLARIFICATION.

However, what these Flat Earth adherents, Moon landing deniers and NASA critics are saying is something quite different. As we have already seen, in their minds, certain things are done to certain astronomical photos in order to conceal some truth which our own government and the scientific community do not want the general public to see or know. And remember, this is supposedly done on a global scale, and it must involve every single technician, scientist and astronomer in order to remain an effective and convincing deception. At least so goes this crazy conspiracy theory which many of these folks so fervently embrace to the point of fanaticism.

But insofar as the starless sky photographs are concerned, I will say the following. If these foolish people -- meaning the silly Flat Earth Theory adherents, Moon landing deniers, NASA critics, etc. -- would invest just a few minutes of their time in conducting online research, they would rather quickly find the answer to exactly why this phenomenon -- starless skies -- occurs in some astronomical photographs. In fact, not being a photography hobbyist myself, and much less an astronomer, as I will be explaining later in this same article, that is exactly what I did. I wanted to get to the bottom of this issue, being as I see so many of my Christian brethren falling for all of these nonsensical Space conspiracy theories. Thus, I proceeded to conduct my own personal online research, and this article is the result of it.

But, of course, such people -- the deniers -- won't invest the time as I have done. They aren't willing to take the least bit of personal initiative in order to better educate themselves regarding this subject. Instead, what they WILL do, as I have seen occur so many times online -- particularly on some of the social networks such as Facebook -- is they will hastily shoot off their foolish mouths, revealing their stupidity before the entire online world. If you have examined any of my Flat Earth Theory rebuttal articles, then you will already know that such people truly say some of the most idiotic things. It is really mind-boggling! It is also rather embarrassing for those of us Christians who are of a more sane mind, and who are willing to accept verifiable scientific evidence. After all, not every branch of science is contrary to God and the teachings of the Bible. As I note in a few other Bill's Bible Basics articles, true science will in fact confirm God's Word and NOT deny it.

But concerning the Flat Earth Theory supporters, Moon landing deniers and the NASA critics, the reason why these misguided individuals offer so much resistance to discovering the truth, is because they know that they must do everything within their power to defend their pet conspiracy theories and indefensible positions in order to try to prove themselves right, and well, everyone else wrong. This they'll do, even if it means having to grab at straws, as they are so often prone to do. In their own eyes, they're on a just, righteous and holy cause to fully expose the alleged deceivers of the world -- such as NASA -- all the while never even realizing that they are the ones who are actually deceived. I am reminded of the following Bible verse that was written by the Apostle Paul:

"But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."


Please understand that by sharing the previous verse with you, I am NOT saying that these people are necessarily evil. After all, many of them are our own Christian brethren. However, in my view, they are clearly deceived, and by sharing their ideas online, whether they mean to or not, they are deceiving others as well. Therein lies the problem. Deception is multiplied due to the ignorance of a rather vociferous minority who do NOT reflect the views, opinions and positions of the vast majority of Christians -- such as myself -- who have the wisdom and the discernment to reject the bad science which contradicts God's Word -- such as the ridiculous theory of evolution -- while embracing the good science which in fact helps to confirm and support God's Word. In other words, not all scientists are God deniers and devils.

Tragically, for such deniers, their resistance, stiff protest and online debates have absolutely NOTHING to do with really trying to discover the actual truth. In fact, some of them aren't the least bit interested in finding the truth, because they are convinced that they ALREADY know the truth. As such, anything which contradicts THEIR "truth", must most assuredly be false. Everything is black and white to them. Man has never landed on the Moon. The Earth is really flat and covered with an impenetrable dome. Outer Space and other planets really do not exist. NASA is filled with liars and deceivers. That is the gist of their views regarding this particular subject.

Furthermore, they are not interested in having an intelligent discussion with others who may embrace an opposing view. They are not interested in talking TO people, as much as they are set on talking AT people, as they try to overpower them with their own particular views. That is the gist of it. Again, I have seen this happen so many times online. In fact, a while back, I joined one of the Flat Earth Theory debate groups on Facebook, being as I was kind of curious regarding what was being said, and I wanted to share my own articles in the group as well. That is to say, those articles which were directly related to the Flat Earth Theory, and in fact which revealed its weaknesses and scientific and Biblical flaws.

In short, as I came to realize during the few weeks that I was a participant in that particular Facebook group -- I finally left it -- for a large number of Flat Earth Theory promoters, Moon landing deniers and NASA accusers, it's all just a matter of personal pride and ego, and advancing their distorted views at all cost, by resorting to whatever methods they deem to be necessary. Thus, as I personally observed on so many occasions all across the Facebook platform, they will resort to ridicule and mockery, name-calling, and other childish tactics, as they adopt a very condescending, know-it-all attitude.

If you've ever encountered any of these people, then you will undoubtedly know exactly what I'm talking about. Some of them simply cannot be reasoned with. It is like talking to a brick wall. Some of them can be quite vicious, and they will really lay into you, often employing a number of expletives -- as if cussing somehow validates their views -- thus further exposing their lack of intelligence. Personally, I have no respect for such people. The minute they drop the first f-bomb, they lose my respect, and I bow out of the conversation. I have no time for such disrespectful, foul-mouthed exchanges.

But returning to our main topic of discussion -- the starless astronomical photos -- here's the thing, my friends. Anyone who is seriously involved in astrophotography will undoubtedly ALREADY know the answer to this question regarding why the sky appears so black in certain Space-based photographs, with very few or no stars visible at all. So now, let me clearly explain to you why this occurs. It really is not all that difficult to understand. As I mentioned earlier, I myself did not know the exact answer to this question until I took personal initiative and undertook some personal online research. So please do not think that I'm in any way boasting of possessing some superior knowledge, because I am most certainly not. I simply have an inquisitive mind, and so I investigate those things which I do not understand, or of which I have limited knowledge.

The main reason why this starless, pitch black sky phenomenon occurs in some astrophotos is directly related to the camera's exposure and aperture settings, which I will explain to you in just a moment. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with the stars being absent from the sky, which they are not. In other words, my friends, when used in Outer Space, cameras must be adjusted to photograph bright subjects -- for example, the astronauts, spacecraft, or moonscapes -- which may be in direct sunlight. Such photographs require short exposure times -- as well as small apertures -- which cannot capture the faint light of distant stars in the background. Following is a more detailed summation of the various reasons regarding why stars remain invisible in certain Outer Space-based photographs.

1. Exposure Time, or Shutter Speed:

As I already explained, similar to taking a photograph on Earth at night with a bright flashlight in the foreground, when taking a photograph in Outer Space, you must choose the correct exposure time -- or shutter speed -- for the bright object you are try to photograph -- thus making the subject clear while the background remains black -- or you must choose the correct exposure time for the stars -- assuming they are the subject of your photograph -- thus making them visible, while others objects in the resulting photograph are washed out due to the over exposure. Stated more plainly, the stars require more exposure time for the camera to capture them. In reverse, the bright, foreground objects -- meaning astronauts, spacecraft or moonscape -- require less exposure time. Thus, as a result, there isn't enough time for the stars to register in the camera, so the sky appears as pitch black in the photo. Does it make sense to you?

2. Albedo, or Light Reflectivity:

It is common knowledge that both the Earth and the Moon are very highly reflective. In other words, they reflect a lot of light from their surfaces. In astronomy, this level of reflectivity is referred to as albedo. The level of albedo depends on how much sunlight is being cast on the object, the actual constitution of the reflective surface itself, the angle of the Sun's rays which are striking the object -- which is referred to as the angle of incidence -- and other factors. In fact, yesterday as I watched NASA's livestream of the Artemis II mission on YouTube, when Commander Reid Wiseman was offering his very first impressions upon seeing the surface of the Moon in the distance, he referred to the Moon's albedo several times.

So, being as the Moon -- as well as other objects in Outer Space -- reflect the Sun's rays -- and thus have high albedo levels -- that means that cameras must use very fast shutter speeds -- or exposure time -- and small apertures. That is to say, the size of the lens opening must be rather small. Both settings are important in order to produce successful Outer Space-based photographs. Otherwise, as I mentioned a moment ago, the intended subject of the photograph would be washed out. But again, this short exposure time and small aperture result in the stars pretty much disappearing from the background sky so that it seems to be pitch black, even though in reality it isn't. The camera just can't capture the stars at that shutter speed. So there is no nefarious conspiracy behind any of this. It is fabricated nonsense.

You can see a very good example of this in old Apollo Moon landing photos and videos. The Moon's actual surface, the astronauts' white spacesuits, and the Apollo Lunar Module itself all reflect a lot of light. They have a high albedo level. Thus, the shutter speed -- or exposure time -- and aperture had to be adjusted accordingly so that the objects could be seen clearly in the photographs and videos, while the sky itself appears pitch black and absent of stars. If you have been watching the Artemis II mission livestream via YouTube, you can see the very same occurring with the Orion capsule which the astronauts have named Integrity. The GoPro cameras which are mounted on each of the SAWs -- Solar Array Wings -- show the capsule as a very bright object. So it too has a high albedo. As a result, the surrounding area is void of stars and it is pitch black. Again, there is no need for a questionable conspiracy theory to try to explain this.

3. Camera Limitations:

Another factor to consider is that standard cameras have a rather limited range. In other words, they cannot capture both the extreme brightness of sunlit subjects -- such as a spacecraft, an astronaut, the Moon's surface, etc. -- and the faintness of background stars simultaneously. Thus, as I already explained, that is why you have to choose one or the other, and adjust your camera settings accordingly.

4. What Astronauts Can Actually See

To be really clear, depending on lighting conditions, the astronauts actually can see the stars, just as you can go outside on any cloudless night and see the stars from here on Earth as well. Of course, if you happen to be standing in the middle of a bright, neon-lit city where a lot of city light is reflecting up into the sky, you obviously are not going to see very many stars, if any at all. The same holds true with astronauts. The level of the albedo -- the surface reflectivity -- will also determine how many stars they can see. If they are in a shaded area, they will obviously see a lot more stars. If it is the lunar day, it will be even more difficult for the astronauts to see the stars, just as we on the Earth cannot see the stars during the daytime either due to the Sun's powerful glare.

However, as I mentioned to you earlier, when it comes to the issue of taking photos of the stars -- or astrophotography -- they actually require long, high-sensitivity exposures -- aka time-lapse photography -- in order for the stars to register in the camera. However, these types of cameras are generally NOT used for operational photography. In short, cameras which are used in Outer Space are actually designed to capture the bright subject -- meaning the astronaut, the space vehicle, some surface feature, etc. -- making the stars -- which are very faint by comparison -- disappear into the blackness of Outer Space. So again, that is why we see pitch black skies which are absent of stars in so many Outer Space-based photo.

To reiterate a final time, pitch black skies absent of stars in astronomical photographs have absolutely nothing to do with intentional deception on the part of NASA or anyone else. The idea of some grand conspiracy to conceal things in some photos from the general public is completely bogus, and those people who foolishly promote such unfounded conspiracy theories are just demonstrating their ignorance of the God-created, natural science which governs such things. Having said that, I hope the aforementioned info is helpful to some of my readers, and that it will dispel some of the silly and unfounded Internet rumors and conspiracy theories which are promoted by misguided Flat Earth Theory promoters, Moon landing deniers, and anyone else who refuses to embrace verifiable scientific facts.

With these thoughts, I will bring this article to a close. It is my hope that you have found it informative, enlightening, and I pray that it has been a blessing in your life as well. If you have an account with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or with any other social network, I would really appreciate if you'd take the time to click or tap on the corresponding link that is found on this page. Thanks so much, and may God bless you abundantly!

For additional information and further study, you may want to refer to the list of reading resources below which were either mentioned in this article, or which contain topics which are related to this article. All of these articles are likewise located on the Bill's Bible Basics web server. To read these articles, simply click or tap on any link you see below.

Admiral Richard E. Byrd and the Hollow Earth Theory

Alien Intervention, Raelians, Pyramids and Nazca Geoglyphs

Alien Life, Extrasolar Planets And Universal Atonement

An Imaginary Ice Wall, or Rock, Sand and Gravity?

Apophis: Will It Hit the Earth?

Billy Meier and the Pleiadian UFO Encounter

Comet Elenin, Hercolubus, Nibiru, and Planet X

Comet Hale-Bopp, Chernobyl and Deathstar Wormwood

Flat Earth Theory: Another Refutation

Flat Earth Theory vs. James Van Allen

Greeks, Planets and Wandering Stars

Heaven's Gate, Suicide and Other Death Cults

Heaven's Gate: A Subliminal Message Concealed in Their Logo?

Keeping Things in Proper Perspective: ET, Where Are You?

Nature of the Alien: ETs, Demons or a Government Plot?

Other Planets and the Flat Earth Theory

The Case for or Against Flat Earth Adherents

The Nibiru, Planet X, Wormwood Controversy

Under the Cloud: UFOs and the Holy Bible

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Please avail yourself of other areas of the Bill's Bible Basics website. There are many treasures for you to discover.