NASA Releases Over 12,000 Images from Artemis II Crewed Lunar Flyby

NASA released 12,217 images from the Artemis II mission, which flew around the moon last month relative to May 6 2026. A view of the Earth seen passing behind the moon was taken on April 6 2026 by a camera attached to NASA’s Artemis II spacecraft. That same day the Artemis II crew observed the moon eclipsing the sun on their return voyage to Earth, watching bright rays of sunlight visible as the moon blocked the sun.

An external camera view showing part of the Orion spacecraft during the eclipse observed by Artemis II captured the event from outside the vehicle. The Orion spacecraft used in Artemis II is named Integrity. Earlier in the journey, a view of the Earth half-illuminated was taken on April 2 2026 as the crew of Artemis II began their journey to the moon.

Images include the Earth setting along the moon’s horizon as seen by Artemis II, followed by the Earth passing out of view behind the moon. The crew later witnessed the Earth rising again emerging from the other side of the moon as seen by the crew of Artemis II.

An astronaut’s hand is reflected in a window while photographing the Earth starting to pass behind the moon during Artemis II, one of many human-scale details preserved in the release.

Images show Hertzsprung basin and Vavilov Crater on the lunar surface. Other photographs include craters casting long shadows along the moon’s terminator taken by Artemis II and cloud formations along Earth’s terminator taken by Artemis II. Views of the Milky Way taken by Artemis II appear among the collection, some showing motion-blurred stars visible through spacecraft windows.

One frame captures an astronaut gazing out of a spacecraft window during the voyage. results=1777772559122361. The photographs provide an unusually complete visual record of a crewed lunar flyby, from departure through distant solar eclipse and return.