The blue planet, captured by the crew of the Artemis II mission.Image: keystone
An astronaut on the Artemis II mission photographed the Earth from lunar orbit – the image shows our planet in unusual detail.
April 3, 2026, 7:33 p.mApril 3, 2026, 7:39 p.m
NASA has released a new image of Earth taken from the perspective of a manned mission to the moon. The planet was photographed by Reid Wiseman, commander of the Artemis II mission. The photo was taken through a window on the Orion capsule shortly after the crew reached the moon’s orbit.
In the picture the earth can be seen in intense blue and brown tones. Particularly striking are the brilliant northern lights that shimmer over both the North and South Poles. In addition, a phenomenon that is rarely visible can be seen: the so-called zodiacal light, which is caused by sunlight reflected by fine dust particles in space.
The image from a window of the Orion capsule shows our planet. Image: keystone
A moment that gave the crew pause
The sight was apparently just as impressive for the astronauts on board as it was for observers on Earth. Wiseman described how the spacecraft was oriented during a maneuver so that the entire globe was visible. The crew members were able to recognize continents such as Africa and Europe and even see the northern lights from space.
“At that moment we all paused for a moment,” Wiseman said in an interview. It was one of the most impressive moments of the mission.
The crew of the Artemis II mission on the way to the moon.Image: keystone
In addition to the overall image, NASA published other images: One shows a smaller section of the Earth through a window in the capsule. Another illustrates the contrast between day and night – one side of the planet is in darkness, streaked with the lights of human settlements, while the other is illuminated by sunlight.
The images not only provide scientific insights, but also remind us of how unique and vulnerable the earth appears from a distance. (mke)