
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
'No Kings' protests recap: More than 8 million turned out across all 50 states, organizers say - 2
New Year's superstitions: Eating 12 grapes, avoiding laundry and other rituals that are said to bring good fortune - 3
These four astronauts could soon travel farther from Earth than anyone has gone before - 4
Extraordinary Snowboarding Objections All over the Planet - 5
The Best Computer games Ever
Step by step instructions to Deal with Your Time While Chasing after an Internet based Degree
The Most Well known Online Entertainment Forces to be reckoned with of 2023
‘Democratizing space’ is more than just adding new players – it comes with questions around sustainability and sovereignty
Israel Police decry online defamation campaign against female officer in Jerusalem
Pilot captures jaw-dropping northern lights show from 36,000 feet (photos)
Incredible Travel Objections for Craftsmanship Darlings to Visit
A trip to Colombia in my 20s turned into 8 years freelancing in South America. Here's what I'd do differently.
Netanyahu vows to ‘return Negev to Israel,’ pledges settlement growth during visit
The Most Notable Design Brands of the 21st Hundred years













