NASA Releases Stunning Artemis II Earthset Eclipse Photos

NASA Releases Stunning Artemis II Earthset Eclipse Photos...

NASA unveiled breathtaking new images today showing Earth silhouetted against the sun during a rare orbital eclipse, captured by the Artemis II crew during their historic lunar flyby last week. The photos, taken on April 2, 2026, mark the first time humans have photographed an Earthset eclipse from lunar distance since the Apollo era.

The images are trending nationwide as Americans marvel at the striking visual of our planet appearing as a dark disk ringed by sunlight. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson called the photos "a humbling reminder of our place in the cosmos" during a press briefing at Johnson Space Center this morning.

Artemis II astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Jeremy Hansen witnessed the eclipse during their critical systems checkout near the Moon. The crew used high-resolution cameras aboard the Orion spacecraft to document the event, which occurred as Earth moved directly between the sun and their orbital position.

Public reaction has been overwhelming, with the photos gaining over 2 million likes on NASA's official Instagram within hours of posting. Astronomy educators across the U.S. are already incorporating the images into lesson plans about celestial mechanics and space exploration.

The release comes just days before the Artemis II crew begins their return journey to Earth, scheduled for April 11. NASA scientists confirm these eclipse observations will help refine models of Earth's atmosphere and improve future deep space photography techniques.

These images represent the first major visual milestone of the Artemis program since its launch. Museum curators at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum tell NBC News they plan to display large-format prints of the photos in their upcoming "Moon to Mars" exhibition opening this summer.