
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
The Artemis 2 crewmembers captured a spectacular view of Earth setting behind the moon through the window of their Orion spacecraft on Flight Day 6 of NASA's historic 10-day mission, as they passed over the far side of the lunar surface. They called it "Earthset," in reference to the iconic image captured by Bill Anders on Christmas Eve in 1968 during the Apollo 8 mission.
What is it?
The photo was captured at 6:41 p.m. EDT (1041 GMT) on April 6, as the majority of Earth's surface was veiled in shadow from the perspective of the Artemis 2 crew. Just a crescent of our planet could be seen illuminated by direct sunlight, revealing white clouds swirling over Australia and Oceana.
Countless craters can be seen scarring the moon's ancient surface, including the 40-mile-wide (64-kilometer-wide) expanse of Ohm Crater, which can be seen close to where the lunar horizon meets the shadowed night side of Earth. The crater features a prominent central peak and a sloping "terraced" rim.
NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen — the crew of the Orion spacecraft they named "Integrity" — witnessed Earth slip silently from view shortly after, as they passed over the far side of the moon.
They would later experience a planned 40-minute communications blackout while traveling beyond the range of NASA's relay satellites. But then, they witnessed an iconic "Earthrise" even more similar to what Anders saw in the 60s, as our Blue Marble emerged from behind its natural satellite.
The most detailed Artemis SLS Lego set, this adult-aimed model has 3,601 pieces and stands 28-inches (71 cm) tall. We thought "Lego has knocked it out of the park" in our full build review. Don't forget about the newer, more compact and much cheaper Lego Technic SLS set, only $60, also 'launches' with some clever Technic moving parts.
Later that day, the crew would be treated to one of the rarest sights in human history, a total solar eclipse witnessed from a free-flying spacecraft, as Orion's trajectory placed the moon between the NASA spacecraft and our parent star.
Want to know more? Then be sure to stay up to date with the latest news with our Artemis 2 liveblog. You can also find out what the Orion crew will be getting up to over the rest of their 10 day lunar trip with our day-by-day breakdown of the trailblazing mission, which has seen humans travel farther from Earth than ever before.
latest_posts
- 1
Find the Interesting Universe of Computerized reasoning: the Capability of man-made intelligence - 2
Step by step instructions to Advance the Eco-friendliness of Your Kona SUV - 3
Which Breakfast Enraptures Your Taste Buds? Vote - 4
Bond Girl Ursula Andress’ $23 Million Fortune Once ‘Fraudulently Misappropriated’ Was Allegedly Found - 5
Popular Home Rug Series For You
Somaliland denies trading recognition with Israel for accepting Gazans
Manual for Instructive Application for Youngsters
How did this 20-light-year-wide 'Diamond Ring' form in space? Maybe a cosmic bubble burst
Lucky airplane passengers capture NASA's Artemis 2 moon launch from the sky
Tatiana Schlossberg, JFK's granddaughter, dies at 35 after terminal cancer diagnosis
The Main 15 Powerful Business Heads of Today
What to know about the hepatitis B shot — and why Trump officials are targeting it
Asia's migrant workers debate if Gulf jobs are worth deadly risk of Iran war
15 skywatching events you won't want to miss in 2026













