Artemis II crew take ‘spectacular’ image of Earth

Artemis II Crew Captures Stunning Earth Image

NASA has unveiled the initial high-definition photographs of Earth taken by the Artemis II crew as they embark on their lunar journey. These visuals were captured following the completion of a critical engine maneuver that positioned the spacecraft on a course toward the Moon. The mission’s lead astronaut, Reid Wiseman, shared the “remarkable” images, highlighting the breathtaking view from orbit.

The first photograph, titled “Hello, World,” depicts the Atlantic Ocean as a sweeping stretch of blue, bordered by a faint luminous halo from Earth’s atmosphere. This moment occurs as the Sun sets behind the planet, casting green auroras at both poles. The Earth appears inverted in the image, with the western Sahara and Iberian Peninsula visible on the left, and South America’s eastern coast extending to the right. Venus, the brightest planet in the sky, is clearly identified at the bottom right.

“We are witnessing a stunning view of the Earth’s dark side, illuminated by the Moon,” said mission specialist Jeremy Hansen to mission control in Houston after the crew spent hours capturing images post-burn.

The trans-lunar injection burn, which took place during the early hours of Friday, propelled the Orion capsule beyond Earth’s orbit. This maneuver marks the crew’s first step toward traversing over 200,000 miles to reach the Moon. Artemis II now follows a trajectory that will circumnavigate the Moon’s far side before returning to Earth. This is the first human mission outside Earth’s orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Upon completing the burn, the astronauts were so captivated by the view that they reportedly remained at the windows, snapping photos. Wiseman later contacted Houston to inquire about cleaning the windows, as his excitement had left them streaked with smudges. “Initially, it was tough to capture Earth’s details from this distance because adjusting exposure settings proved challenging,” he admitted. “It’s like trying to photograph the Moon from your backyard, only much farther away.” He noted that this issue has since been resolved.

A subsequent image taken by Wiseman reveals Earth divided by the boundary between day and night, known as the terminator. Another photograph showcases the planet in near-total darkness, with human-made lights shimmering like stars across the night. NASA also released a comparative view, placing the 2026 Earth image alongside the Apollo 17 crew’s 1972 counterpart. “Our planet still looks absolutely mesmerizing from space,” remarked NASA, underscoring the enduring beauty of Earth despite decades of progress in space exploration.