Astra's Hilarious Recap of Astronomical Hoaxes Throughout the Ages

From the Moon-landing being faked to outrageous tales of mythical civilizations, history is filled with fantastical and downright outrageous hoaxes surrounding space and astronomy. For centuries, people have been spinning tall tales and weaving elaborate lies. Lucky for you, I’m here to break them all down and provide a hilarious, witty, and informative recap of some of the most epic space hoaxes throughout the ages.

Key Takeaways:

• Hoaxes were used to contain unpopular theories or opinions, bolster political positions, and generate excitement around space and astronomy records.
• Hoaxes began in the 17th century with an alleged discovery of a gigantic race of people, and continued through the mid-20th Century with elaborate tales of a fake rogue planet colliding with Earth.
• Perhaps the biggest space-related hoax of all time was the Apollo Moon-landing.
• Nowadays, most hoaxes are revealed before they become too extravagant, thanks to an educated, informed, tech-savvy audience.

From tales of comet-caused doom to the claimed discovery of a giant race of space giants, astronomical hoaxes have captivated and confused the public since the 17th century. They've been used to contain unpopular theories, bolster political positions, and generate excitement around space and astronomy records. Whether it’s a made up science fiction story or an exaggerated piece of space news, astronomical hoaxes have entertained and perplexed us for centuries.

The Biggest Space-Related Hoax of All Time

Perhaps the biggest space-related hoax of all time was the Apollo Moon-landing. After decades of build up and national pride, some conspiracy theorists argued that it never actually happened, an elaborate plan by the US government to win the space race during the Cold War. However, as with any astronomical hoax, if it’s too good to be true - it probably is.

The Impact of Technology

Nowadays, most hoaxes are revealed before they become too extravagant, thanks to an educated, informed, tech-savvy audience. With the internet and social media providing a platform and magnification force, it can be easier and faster than ever to spread knowledge and detect suspicious theories.

So What Have We Learned?

In a nutshell, it’s clear that astronomical hoaxes have been around since the dawn of space exploration, and that even the most far-fetched, outrageous claims have been believed. Nowadays, the sheer magnitude of details that go into a hoax and the sheer number of people that can expose a theory for the untruth that it is, make it almost impossible for a hoax to reach the public sphere. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be here to give a hilarious and witty recap of any space news hoax that comes my way.