Earthset and a solar eclipse: Nasa releases first images from Moon fly-by

Artemis II Crew Captures Lunar Fly-By Moments

NASA has unveiled the initial images captured during the Artemis II crew’s lunar fly-by, showcasing two rare celestial events. The first photograph highlights an ‘Earthset,’ depicting Earth peeking over the Moon’s rugged terrain as the astronauts returned to their home planet. The second image captures the solar eclipse, a phenomenon the crew witnessed as the Moon temporarily obscured the Sun.

These visuals, taken by the crew during their six-hour mission, include a period of radio silence when the capsule was positioned behind the Moon. While the astronauts’ identities as the photographers remain undisclosed, the Earthset photo draws parallels to Bill Anders’ iconic 1968 Earthrise image, which was snapped during Apollo 8’s moon fly-by before the first human landing on the lunar surface in 1969.

A Historic Perspective

The image of Earth, a fragile blue sphere against the vastness of space, remains celebrated as one of the most impactful environmental visuals in history. NASA described the Earthrise photograph as being taken through the Orion spacecraft window at 18:41 Eastern Daylight Time (2341BST) on Monday, noting the contrast between Earth’s dark side and the swirling clouds over Australia and Oceania.

During the fly-by, the crew encountered a dramatic lunar eclipse, which NASA highlighted as a standout moment. Victor Glover, one of the astronauts, described the experience as “sci-fi” and “unreal,” emphasizing the ethereal sight of the Sun’s corona. He remarked,

“The Sun has gone behind the Moon and the corona is still visible, and it’s bright and creates a halo almost around the entire moon.”

Glover also added,

“The Earth is so bright out there and the Moon is just hanging in front of us.”