
NASA has shared the first breathtaking views of Earth taken from the Artemis II mission as the crew continues its journey toward the moon.
The photos reveal Earth behind the Orion spacecraft, our home planet aglow with aurora.
One photo of Earth, taken Thursday by Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman from the Orion window, shows the planet backlit, with auroras visible at the top right and bottom left, Lakiesha Hawkins, deputy director for NASA’s Artemis program, said Friday during a news conference.
A zodiacal light is also visible at the bottom right as the Earth eclipses the sun, she said.
Another photo of Earth, also taken by Wiseman, shows a terminator line, meaning the line separating daylight and nighttime on the planet.
“What an amazing shot that he shared with us here,” she said.
The photos were taken after completing the translunar injection burn Thursday.
Hawkins said Friday, the third day of the Artemis II mission, that so far systems are normal and “the crew is in great spirit.”
The four crew members — NASA astronauts Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — launched Wednesday on the 10-day mission.
As of Friday, the crew is more than 100,000 miles from Earth, with about 150,000 miles to go to the moon.
The mission does not include a lunar landing, but is designed as a step toward a landing in 2028.
The next major milestone for the space pioneers will be Monday, when the crew is expected to fly around the moon.
That flyby could mark the farthest venture from Earth made by humans, surpassing the distance record of 248,655 miles set by the Apollo 13 astronauts in 1970.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Best Amusement Park in Asia: Which One Is a Must-Visit - 2
Display of Netanyahu's severed head 'incites public to murder PM', Likud says in official complaint - 3
Instructions to Pick the Ideal SUV Size for Seniors - 4
6 Robot Vacuum Cleaners for Easy Home Cleaning - 5
Yemen's Houthis ready to join Iran war if needed, raising new shipping risk
Watch China's Shenzhou 22 rescue ship arrive at Tiangong space station (video)
Tuesday, April 7. Russia’s War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine
Politics at the table? Drinking the wine you brought? An etiquette expert's Thanksgiving dos and don'ts.
Netflix is releasing a documentary on Elizabeth Smart. What to know about her kidnapping, rescue and where she is now.
Figure out how to Keep up with Your Dental Inserts for Long haul Achievement
Step by step instructions to Prepare with Senior Protection for Inward feeling of harmony.
3 astronauts settle into their new life in orbit | On the International Space Station this week Dec. 1-5, 2025
Osteoporosis, the silent disease, can shorten your life − here’s how to prevent fractures and keep bones healthy
Skeleton of famed musketeer possibly found in Dutch church












