NASA Astronauts Just Captured the Moon As We've Never Seen It Before

NASA's Artemis II, which launched on April 1, is the first crewed mission to the moon in over 50 years. Four astronauts are currently on a 10-day, figure-eight journey around the celestial body, testing the Orion spacecraft, including its systems, life support, and communication technology, along with the SLS rocket for future lunar landings. The crew also set a record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth (252,756 miles).

The first flyby images of the moon captured by the astronauts during their historic test flight were recently released by NASA and reveal regions no human has ever seen before—including a rare in-space solar eclipse. The photos were taken on April 6 during the crew’s seven‑hour pass over the lunar far side.

One of the most striking images is of Earthset—a muted blue Earth with bright white clouds is seen setting behind the cratered lunar surface. The dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime. On Earth’s day side, swirling clouds are visible over the Australia and Oceania region.

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In the foreground, the Ohm crater on the moon has terraced edges and a flat floor interrupted by central peaks. Central peaks form in complex craters when the lunar surface, liquefied on impact, splashes upwards during the crater’s formation, according to NASA.

Other images capture a view of the terminator—the boundary between lunar day and night—where low-angle sunlight casts long, dramatic shadows across the moon's surface. This grazing light accentuates its rugged topography, revealing craters, ridges, and basin structures in striking detail. From this perspective, the interplay of light and shadow highlights the complexity of the lunar surface in ways not visible under full illumination.

Tomorrow, April 10, the Artemis II mission will return to Earth and splash down in the Pacific Ocean. The capsule will endure extreme heat and friction as it passes through the atmosphere before slowing down with a series of parachutes.