
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
Hitler's madcap mega-railway would have linked Berlin with India - 2
Vial marked 'Polonium 210' sparks scare during German Easter egg hunt - 3
Space Condos to Lift Your Metropolitan Living - 4
Former Israeli judge does not expect Netanyahu to be pardoned - 5
Innovative Versatility: Examples of overcoming adversity from Entrepreneurs
The Significance of Health Projects in Senior Protection.
A new mom skipped a routine appointment. An infected cut led to a devastating diagnosis
Nordic people know how to beat the winter blues. Here's how to find light in the darkest months
Culinary Joys: Investigating Connoisseur Cooking at Home
Scientists discover black hole flare with the light of 10 trillion suns
FDA approves Wegovy pill for weight loss
The Most Astonishing Arising Advancements to Watch
Canada cancels its 1st moon rover: 'It's hopefully not a lost cause'
8 Espresso Bean Starting points All over the Planet













