In article ,
says...
Marc 182 wrote:

In article , cray74
@hotmail.com says...
Joann Evans wrote in message ...

No, but I doubt anyone seriously considered that they'd find one.
Indeed, the early landing sites were picked because they were fairly
flat, and unchallenging to landing.

How would I go about confirming or denying the presence of portable
lights on the Apollo lunar missions? I've had two answers on the
matter (one in person, and yours), and they contradict each other
(one yes, one no).

In the Apollo 13 movie they showed them using a machined aluminum
flashlight in the CM. I expect the LEM had one too. I find it
impossible to believe that anyone would go camping without packing a
flashlight.

Marc

I'll accept that, but I'll bet it was most likely intended for use
within the LM. Apollo missions landed not long after local Lunar
sunrise, so unless something as unusual as a cave or unknown,
uncollapsed rille were found, there would be little use for it outside.
(More comparable to taking a flashlight on a picnic, instead. You don't
expect to still be there after dark.)

If they had still been there long enough for Lunar sunset, it would
have meant something else had gone *very* wrong....

I absolutely agree. Any flashlights on board were intended for looking
behind panels and poking into dim bins, and in case a breaker blew and
the cabin lights went out.

But back to the orig question, at least one flashlight was probably
available on all missions. I've read that the first mission carried a
"cloths line" to haul samples up to the assent vehicle. That's probably
12 foot or more of fairly sturdy line.

Later missions didn't have that, but the last few carried hammocks to
sleep in (I doubt anyone really slept on the moon). Slice those up and
knot them together, grey tape a flash light to your helmet, and a really
determined astronaut might do some caving. It would be truly dangerous.

Marc