
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
Beddings of 2024: Track down Your Ideal Fit for a Tranquil Rest - 2
There was a bit of toilet trouble on NASA's Artemis 2 mission to the moon - 3
Embrace the Outside: Exercises and Entertainment - 4
How did Ariana Grande get her Glinda voice? I’m the man behind the magic. - 5
First part of major new German-Danish tunnel cleared for lowering
Benedict Cumberbatch takes on something even Sherlock can’t solve: male grief
Israel says 40 Hezbollah members killed as forces advance in Lebanon
How did this 20-light-year-wide 'Diamond Ring' form in space? Maybe a cosmic bubble burst
2024 Manual for Light Extravagance Room Feel: What's Moving
Inn The executives: A Remunerating Profession Decision for Energetic People
Desired Travel Objections Worldwide: Where to Go Straightaway
Four countries to boycott Eurovision 2026 over Israel’s inclusion
Sean Penn lights up, Kylie Jenner gets A-list approval and 7 other moments you didn’t see at the Golden Globes
Quantum Computing’s Next Major Breakthroughs Could Come From Australia













