Artemis II crew take ‘spectacular’ image of Earth

Artemis II crew take ‘spectacular’ image of Earth

NASA has released the first high-resolution photographs of Earth captured by the Artemis II crew during their lunar journey. These visuals were taken after the team executed a final engine burn, propelling them toward the Moon. The mission’s commander, Reid Wiseman, described the images as “spectacular,” highlighting their beauty as the crew ventured into uncharted territory.

“We are getting a beautiful view of the dark side of the Earth, lit by the Moon,” mission specialist Jeremy Hansen reported to mission control in Houston.

The first image, titled “Hello, World,” showcases the Atlantic Ocean’s vast blue expanse, bordered by the faint atmospheric glow as Earth passes in front of the Sun. Green auroras are visible at both poles, creating a striking contrast. The Earth appears inverted, with the western Sahara and Iberian Peninsula to the left and South America’s eastern region to the right. NASA identified Venus in the bottom-right corner, adding context to the celestial scene.

The trans-lunar injection burn, completed in the early hours of Friday, successfully sent the Orion spacecraft beyond Earth’s orbit. The four astronauts are now following a trajectory that will orbit the Moon’s far side before returning. This marks the first time humans have left Earth’s orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. The crew is expected to pass the Moon’s far side on 6 April and return to Earth on 10 April.

“The commander had initially found it difficult to take pictures of our planet from the spacecraft,” mission control was informed. “It’s like walking out back at your house, trying to take a photo of the Moon—exposure settings were tricky.”

Wiseman later contacted mission control to inquire about cleaning the windows, which had become smudged during their excitement. Another image from the commander reveals the Earth split by the boundary of night and day, known as the terminator. A subsequent photo captures the planet in near-total darkness, with human-made lights twinkling across the surface.

NASA also shared a side-by-side comparison of the 2026 Earth view with the Apollo 17 image from 1972. “We’ve come so far in the last 54 years, but one thing hasn’t changed: our home looks gorgeous from space!” the agency noted in a statement.