Artemis II crew take ‘spectacular’ image of Earth

Artemis II Crew Captures Stunning Earth Images During Lunar Journey

NASA has unveiled the first high-resolution photographs of Earth captured by the Artemis II team as they embark on their orbital journey around the Moon. These images were taken following a critical engine burn that propelled the spacecraft toward its destination. The mission commander, Reid Wiseman, described the visuals as “spectacular,” highlighting the unique perspective from space.

The initial image, labeled “Hello, World,” reveals the expansive blue of the Atlantic Ocean, bordered by a faint luminous haze of the atmosphere as Earth passes in front of the Sun. Green auroras are visible at both poles, while the planet’s orientation appears inverted, showcasing the western Sahara and Iberian Peninsula on the left and the eastern part of South America on the right. Venus, identified by NASA as the bright object at the bottom right, is also clearly visible in the frame.

The trans-lunar injection burn, completed in the early hours of Friday, marked the crew’s departure from Earth’s orbit. The Orion spacecraft now follows a trajectory that will loop around the Moon’s far side and return to Earth. This mission marks the first time humans have ventured beyond Earth’s orbit since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The crew is expected to reach the Moon’s far side on 6 April and return to Earth on 10 April.

First-Time Views and Crew Enthusiasm

Following the burn, the astronauts were captivated by the view, according to mission specialist Jeremy Hansen. “We are getting a beautiful view of the dark side of the Earth, lit by the Moon,” he shared with mission control in Houston. Wiseman later contacted the control center to inquire about cleaning the windows, as the crew’s excitement to photograph the cosmos had left them smudged.

“It’s like walking out back at your house, trying to take a picture of the moon,” Wiseman remarked to mission control. “That’s what it feels like right now.”

Initially, Wiseman found it challenging to capture Earth from the spacecraft, as the distance made adjusting exposure settings difficult. However, the problem has since been resolved, allowing for clearer imagery. One subsequent photo highlights the division between day and night, marked by the terminator line. Another image presents Earth in near-total darkness, with human-made lights twinkling across the night sky.

NASA also released a side-by-side comparison of the current view of Earth with the Apollo 17 images from 1972. The agency noted, “We’ve come so far in the last 54 years, but one thing hasn’t changed: our home looks gorgeous from space!”