Artemis Mission Captures Rare Earth Sunset and Lunar Far Side

NASA’s Artemis II mission completed a historic lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, marking the first time humans have traveled beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The mission’s crew captured a series of unprecedented images of the Moon’s far side and documented celestial phenomena that provide new scientific data on lunar geologic evolution.

The crew consists of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The astronauts traveled aboard the Orion spacecraft, which they named Integrity. During the mission, the crew utilized a fleet of cameras to capture thousands of photographs, several of which were released by NASA on April 7, 2026.

Lunar Observations and Scientific Imaging

The Artemis II crew conducted a seven-hour flyby of the lunar far side on April 6, 2026. This encounter allowed the astronauts to view regions of the Moon that no human had ever seen before. The resulting imagery includes detailed documentation of surface fractures, ancient lava flows, and impact craters, which NASA scientists will use to study the Moon’s geologic history.

One of the most significant images captured during the flyby shows a rare in-space total solar eclipse. In this photograph, the Moon is seen backlit by the Sun. The image also captures other planetary bodies in the distance: Saturn is visible as a bright spot just below the bottom right edge of the Moon, while Mars appears as a bright spot at the right edge of the frame. Earth is also visible, reflecting sunlight at the left edge of the lunar disk.

the crew captured an image known as an Earthset. This photograph shows the Earth disappearing behind the lunar horizon, revealing swirling clouds over Oceania and Australia on the daylight side of the planet. The foreground of the image highlights the Moon’s craggy surface, which has been pockmarked by meteoroid impacts over eons.

Distance Records and Mission Timeline

The Artemis II mission established a new distance record for humanity. During the flight, the crew traveled farther from Earth than any previous human spaceflight. The astronauts crossed a threshold of more than 248,655 miles (400,171 kilometers) from their home planet.

The mission launched on April 1, 2026. The Orion capsule arrived in lunar space in the early hours of April 6, 2026, entering the Moon’s sphere of influence—the region where lunar gravity becomes stronger than Earth’s gravity—at 12:37 a.m. EDT (0437 GMT). Approximately 13.5 hours after entering this region, the crew reached their record-breaking distance from Earth.

Our four Artemis II astronauts — Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy — took humanity on an incredible journey around the Moon and brought back images so exquisite and brimming with science, they will inspire generations to come

Dr. Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters

Current Mission Status

As of April 8, 2026, the Artemis II crew members are more than halfway through their journey. Having completed the lunar flyby and the associated data collection, the Orion spacecraft is now headed back toward Earth.

NASA expects to release more images from the mission in the coming days as the crew continues their return trip. The data gathered from the thousands of photos and the observations of the lunar far side are expected to provide a trove of information for the scientific community regarding the Moon’s evolution and the environment of deep space.