
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
6 Trail blazing Bicycles for Rough terrain Undertakings - 2
New Year's superstitions: Eating 12 grapes, avoiding laundry and other rituals that are said to bring good fortune - 3
What’s your chronotype? Knowing whether you’re a night owl or an early bird could help you do better on tests and avoid scams - 4
Why home maintenance deserves a spot in the annual health and budget plans - 5
Fisherman Attacked by Great White Shark Says ‘My Left Foot Was in His Mouth’
I tried a macho, creatine-loaded cereal “for men.” Did I mention I'm a woman?
AI is making spacecraft propulsion more efficient – and could even lead to nuclear-powered rockets
NASA probe captures stunning photos of Earth and moon on the way to infamous asteroid Apophis
3 astronauts settle into their new life in orbit | On the International Space Station this week Dec. 1-5, 2025
Paratroopers kill terrorist who threw rocks at Israeli citizens, soldiers near Ofra in West Bank
NASA launches science balloon in Antarctica | Space photo of the day for Dec. 22, 2025
Arctic sea ice just dropped to an alarming new low
Surging measles cases are 'fire alarm' warning that other diseases could be next
10 Activities to Lift Your Consume and Bust Your Stomach













