Artemis II Crew Captures First Human Photos of Moon's Far Side and Stunning 'Earthset'

Historic First: Artemis II Astronauts Photograph the Moon's Far Side and Capture 'Earthset'

NASA's Artemis II mission has returned breathtaking images from humanity's first crewed flight around the Moon's far side in over 50 years, including a stunning "Earthset" and a never-before-seen solar eclipse from deep space.

The Images

Earthset:

• Shows Earth's crescent, glimmering blue and white, setting behind the lunar horizon
• Framed similarly to the iconic Apollo 8 "Earthrise" photo from 1968
• Taken from the Integrity spacecraft at unprecedented distances

Earthrise:

• Crescent Earth emerging from behind the Moon's disk
• Illuminated tips pointing away from the Moon "like the horns of a bull"

Solar Eclipse:

• The Sun's wispy outer atmosphere radiating out from behind the Moon
• Observed for nearly 54 minutes from a vantage point few humans have ever seen
• Commander Reid Wiseman: "There's no adjectives. I'm going to need to invent some new ones."

Mission Significance

• Farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth
• 6+ hour fly-by on April 6, 2026
• First time humans observed parts of the Moon's far side by eye
• Astronaut Christina Koch: "The Moon really is its own unique body in the universe. It's not just a poster in the sky."

Why This Matters

1. Human achievement — First crewed Moon mission since Apollo (1968-1972)
2. Deep space capability — Proves NASA can send humans beyond Earth orbit sustainably
3. Artemis program — Paves the way for Artemis III (lunar landing) and eventually Mars
4. Cultural impact — Images that will define a generation, like Apollo's Earthrise did