NASA Releases Photos of Earthset and Solar Eclipse from Artemis II Lunar Flyby Mission

NASA's Artemis II mission crew captured photographs of Earth setting behind the lunar horizon and a solar eclipse during their flyby of the Moon. The images were released by NASA and the White House on April 8, 2025. The mission marks the first crewed lunar flyby by NASA since Apollo 8 in 1968.

The Artemis II crew consists of commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, all from the United States, and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen from Canada. The Orion spacecraft carried the four astronauts on a 10-day mission launched on April 1, 2025.

The flyby occurred on April 7, during which the crew traveled farther from Earth than any previous human mission, reaching a distance of approximately 400,000 kilometers.

The Earthset image depicts Earth as a blue crescent dipping below the Moon's gray, cratered surface. This view was taken just before the spacecraft entered a 40-minute radio blackout while passing the Moon's far side. The photograph recalls the Earthrise image taken by Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders on December 24, 1968, during the first human lunar orbit.

the crew emerged from the far side of the Moon, they observed a total solar eclipse from their vantage point.

The image shows the Moon blocking the Sun, with Earth's atmospheric glow creating a halo around the lunar edge and stars, including Saturn and Venus, visible in the background. The Moon's surface was softly illuminated by Earthshine, revealing hills and valleys. Victor Glover described the eclipse as difficult to capture photographically.

The crew's observations occurred during the outbound trajectory after the flyby.

“Humans probably have not evolved to see what we’re seeing. It is truly hard to describe. It is amazing.”

8's crew, Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders, became the first humans to leave low Earth orbit and travel to the Moon. Their Earthrise photograph, taken on Christmas Eve 1968, showed Earth rising over the lunar horizon and later symbolized environmental awareness.

Artemis II serves as a test flight for NASA's Artemis program, verifying systems for future lunar missions. The program aims for a crewed lunar landing by the Artemis III mission, targeted for 2027. The current crew is en route to Earth, with splashdown planned for April 11, 2025, in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast.

The mission achieved a new record for the farthest distance traveled by humans from Earth, surpassing previous records set during Apollo missions. No contradictions appear in source reports regarding mission details or image descriptions.