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NASA has released a groundbreaking image of Earth captured from the far side of the moon during a flyby conducted by the Artemis II astronauts. This momentous occasion was celebrated in a phone call by former President Donald Trump, who praised the astronauts as “modern-day pioneers.”
The image, taken from a perspective never before seen by human eyes, has been likened by NASA to the famous “Earthrise” photograph snapped by astronaut Bill Anders during the Apollo 8 mission nearly six decades ago.
NASA has named this new photo “Earthset,” paying homage to the iconic image from 1968.
In a post on X, the White House shared the photo with the caption, “Humanity, from the other side. First photo from the far side of the Moon. Captured from Orion as Earth dips beyond the lunar horizon.”
The “Earthset” image was taken through the window of the Orion spacecraft on Monday, during the Artemis II crew’s lunar flyby. (NASA)
Trump took a call with the astronauts on the Artemis II mission late Monday, saying: “Today you’ve made history and made all of America really proud. Incredibly proud.”
“Humans have really never seen anything quite like what you’re doing in a manned spacecraft. It’s really special,” Trump added. “I want to personally salute and congratulate Commander Reid Weissman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.“
NASA reported that the Earthset photo was captured through the window of the Orion spacecraft around 7 p.m. ET on Monday during a flyby of the moon, without giving any of the four Artemis II crew members specific photographer’s credit.
NASA described the view from the photo as a “muted blue Earth with bright white clouds sets behind the cratered lunar surface.”
“The dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime,” NASA wrote. “On Earth’s day side, swirling clouds are visible over the Australia and Oceania region.”
The Orion holds 32 cameras, according to NASA. Fifteen cameras are fixed to the spacecraft, and 17 are handheld by crew members.
The lunar surface fills the frame in sharp detail, as seen during the Artemis II lunar flyby on Monday. (NASA)
Artemis II Mission Specialist Christina Koch remarked upon the beauty of the Earth from the crew’s unique vantage point, calling it “special.”
“The thing that changed for me, looking back at Earth, was that I found myself noticing not only the beauty of the Earth, but how much blackness there was around it and how it just made it even more special,” Koch recalled.
The Artemis II astronauts begin their journey back to Earth Tuesday, with the crew expected to travel a total of 695,081 miles total from launch to splashdown. Their mission is projected to be over 4,000 miles further from the Earth than Apollo 13.
The Artemis II capsule is projected to make its West Coast splashdown early Friday evening off the coast near San Diego.
“Your mission paves the way for America’s return to the lunar surface very soon,” Trump told the Artemis II crew.