Four astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II test flight have set a new record by venturing further from Earth than any human in history. On Monday, April 6, at 1:56 p.m. EDT, the Orion spacecraft reached a distance of 248,655 miles from our planet, surpassing the milestone achieved by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970.
The Artemis II mission is not for landing but rather a thorough test to ensure the capsule can sustain a crew’s safety and well-being far beyond the familiar low Earth orbit. This journey serves as a crucial step towards eventually returning astronauts to the lunar surface.
The crew’s journey provides them with a remarkable view of the cosmos, captured in breathtaking photos that have captivated the internet.
One of the images shared by NASA’s official X account on April 7, 2026, showcases the Milky Way galaxy against the backdrop of space, devoid of Earth’s atmosphere or light pollution, revealing a clear view of countless stars and cosmic dust clouds.
On April 6, 2026, as the crew completed a lunar flyby, they captured Earth partially eclipsed by the moon at 6:41 p.m. EDT. The photo displays our planet with a blue hue and bright white clouds, with one side in darkness and the other illuminated, showcasing weather patterns over Australia and the Pacific region.
Another photograph taken on the same day shows the lunar surface along the terminator, where sunlight casts long shadows from crater rims and ridges, highlighting the moon’s rough and uneven terrain. Craters like Jule, Birkhoff, and Stebbins, along with the surrounding highlands, stand out in this image.
As the crew rounded the far side of the moon on April 6, 2026, they captured Earth setting just above the lunar horizon, revealing the contrast between the sunlit and dark sides of our planet. The photo also showcases lunar features like the Orientale basin and the Hertzsprung Basin, partially covered by the Vavilov crater.
During the lunar flyby, a total eclipse occurred as the moon obscured the sun for nearly 54 minutes, providing a rare opportunity to observe the sun’s corona and faint stars in the background. The crew also witnessed the moon dimly lit by sunlight reflecting off Earth.
A close-up view of Vavilov Crater, taken on April 6, 2026, shows the rugged terrain near the crater’s edge and its surrounding debris field, accentuated by shadows cast by the low sunlight. The crew used a handheld camera with a 400 mm lens for this shot.
Commander Reid Wiseman captured a stunning image of Earth through Orion’s window on April 2, 2026, showing two auroras and a zodiacal light cone caused by sunlight scattering off dust particles in space. This image was among the first photos sent back to Earth by the Artemis II crew.
On April 7, 2026, during their return journey, the Artemis II crew paused to take a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft. The picture features Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Pilot Victor Glover, and Commander Reid Wiseman, who are now heading back to Earth and are scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10.
