
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
A volcanic eruption may have catalyzed the plague's arrival in Europe, study suggests - 2
Trump administration launches new immigration crackdowns in New Orleans and Minneapolis. Here are all the cities it has targeted so far. - 3
UN experts urge investigation into Israel’s killing of Lebanese journalists - 4
How to watch Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest: Start time, TV channel, performers and more - 5
5 Advancement Developments in Biotechnology
Bond Girl Ursula Andress’ $23 Million Fortune Once ‘Fraudulently Misappropriated’ Was Allegedly Found
Spanish police and soldiers track boars, reinforce farm security amid swine fever outbreak
Southern Californians, your health insurance costs could rise in 2026
Manual for Picking the Ideal Wine Matching
Pacific voyagers’ remarkable environmental knowledge allowed for long-distance navigation without Western technology
ADHD drugs work, but not the way experts thought
2026 Golden Globes: How to watch, start time, TV channel, full nominee list and more
Moon milestones: A rundown of Artemis 2's many spaceflight firsts
What really happens when 140 reality stars come face to face with their biggest fans













