The first flyby images of the Moon captured by NASA’s Artemis II astronauts during their historic test flight reveal regions no human has ever seen before — including a rare in-space solar eclipse. The images were taken during the crew’s seven‑hour pass over the lunar far side, marking humanity’s return to the Moon’s vicinity.
Earthset captured through the Orion spacecraft window during the Artemis II crew’s flyby of the Moon. A muted blue Earth with bright white clouds sets behind the cratered lunar surface. The dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime.
The Artemis II crew captures a portion of the Moon coming into view along the terminator – the boundary between lunar day and night – where low-angle sunlight casts long, dramatic shadows across the surface. This grazing light accentuates the Moon’s rugged topography, revealing craters, ridges, and basin structures in striking detail.
NASA Flight Directors Diane Dailey, Pooja Jesrani, and Paul Konyha pictured in the White Flight Control Room during the Artemis II crew’s lunar flyby.
The Artemis II crew – Mission Specialist Christina Koch (top left), Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (bottom left), Commander Reid Wiseman (bottom right), and Pilot Victor Glover (top right) – use eclipse viewers.
(Photos courtesy: NASA)
