Artemis II Crew Captures Stunning 'Earthset' Image During Lunar Flyby

During their historic lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, the Artemis II crew captured a striking image of Earth setting behind the Moon's horizon. This 'Earthset' photograph, taken from the Orion spacecraft, shows a crescent Earth slipping behind the Moon's rugged limb, with Australia and Oceania illuminated in daylight while the rest of the planet fades into night. The image evokes comparisons to the iconic 'Earthrise' photo taken during the Apollo 8 mission in 1968.

Commander Reid Wiseman described the experience as profoundly moving.

The photograph was taken at 6:41 p.m. EDT, just before the Orion spacecraft passed behind the Moon, resulting in a 40-minute communications blackout with Mission Control in Houston.

The Artemis II mission, launched on April 1, 2026, marks the first crewed journey around the Moon since 1972. The crew, consisting of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, is on a 10-day mission that includes a lunar flyby and various scientific observations.

The 'Earthset' image is expected to become a historic visual milestone, symbolizing humanity's return to deep space exploration and inspiring future missions beyond Earth's orbit.