Artemis II crew take ‘spectacular’ image of Earth

Artemis II Crew Captures ‘Spectacular’ Earth View

NASA has released the initial high-definition photographs of Earth taken by the Artemis II crew as they begin their journey around the Moon. The mission’s commander, Reid Wiseman, captured these “spectacular” images after the team executed a final engine burn to set their course for the Moon.

The first image, named “Hello, World,” highlights the vast blue of the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by a delicate atmospheric glow. Earth eclipses the Sun, with green auroras visible at both poles. The planet appears inverted, showcasing the western Sahara and Iberian peninsula on the left, while the eastern portion of South America is visible on the right. NASA confirmed the bright object in the lower-right corner is Venus.

The trans-lunar injection burn, completed in the early hours of Friday, propelled the Orion spacecraft out of Earth’s orbit. The four astronauts are now on a trajectory that will loop around the Moon’s far side and return to Earth. This mission marks the first time since 1972 that humans have ventured beyond Earth’s orbit. The crew is expected to reach the Moon’s far side on 6 April and return to Earth on 10 April.

“We are witnessing a breathtaking glimpse of the Earth’s dark side, illuminated by the Moon,” said mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, communicating with mission control in Houston.

After the burn, the crew remained at the windows, snapping photos of the planet. Wiseman initially found it challenging to adjust exposure settings at such a distance, comparing the experience to “walking out back at your house, trying to take a picture of the moon.” He later called mission control to ask about cleaning the windows, as the astronauts’ excitement had left them smudged.

Another image from Wiseman shows Earth divided by the boundary between day and night, known as the terminator. NASA also shared a photo of the Earth in near-total darkness, with human lights twinkling in the nighttime. The agency paired this image with a 1972 Apollo 17 view, highlighting the evolution of space exploration over the past five decades.

“We’ve progressed significantly in the last 54 years, yet one thing remains unchanged: our planet is breathtaking from space,” wrote NASA, emphasizing the enduring beauty of Earth as seen from beyond its orbit.