After a historic lunar flyby that carried four astronauts farther from Earth than humanity has ever been, the Artemis II crew has sent home spectacular photos of the far side of the Moon.
The images include Earth peeking over the limb of the Moon, both setting and rising again; a rare in-space solar eclipse as the Moon passed between the Orion spacecraft Integrity and the Sun; and high-resolution images of the geology of the far side, heavily pocked with craters that are comparatively absent on the near side.
The seven-hour flyby took place on Monday 6 April 2026, including a 40-minute communication blackout as the signal was blocked by the Moon itself.
As Integrity passed behind the Moon, the four crew members – mission commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen – took pictures of the far side.
It was during this leg of the mission that the spacecraft made its closest approach to the Moon – just 6,545 kilometers (4,067 miles) from the surface – before reached its maximum distance of 406,771 kilometers from Earth.
Just after Integrity emerged and resumed communication with Earth, the spacecraft observed a total solar eclipse for nearly an hour as the Sun disappeared behind the Moon. A solar eclipse is a rare opportunity to observe details in the solar corona that are usually obscured by the blazing light of the Sun.
In addition, without the glare of the Sun, the crew was able to see the faint flashes of six meteoroid impacts on the lunar surface.
The lunar far side is also a region of intense interest because it's so very different from the lunar near side. The near side is partially covered by large, flat, dark plains of volcanic basalt that seeped from below the lunar surface millions of years ago. The far side, by contrast, has very little basalt resurfacing and is heavily scarred by craters.
The reason for this difference is a mystery that we have yet to solve. Observations using cutting-edge technology may help discover clues.
Scientists here on Earth, NASA says, are already analyzing the downlinked images.
"During the lunar flyby, the crew documented impact craters, ancient lava flows, and surface fractures that will help scientists study the Moon's geologic evolution," NASA wrote in an update on April 7.
"They monitored color, brightness, and texture differences across the terrain, observed an earthset and earthrise, and captured solar‑eclipse views of the Sun's corona."
The Orion spacecraft is currently on the return leg of its epic journey, with a splashdown targeted for 00:07 UTC on Saturday 11 April 2026, if conditions allow. This will arguably be the most dangerous part of the mission as the craft undergoes a high-speed atmospheric reentry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.
The information gleaned during the mission will help inform the next stages of the Artemis program. Observations of the Moon will help us understand the target itself, while the nearly 10-day journey will help refine the spacecraft and mission design for future crews.
The next stage of the program, Artemis III, is currently scheduled for 2027. It will take place closer to Earth, launching crew in the Orion spacecraft on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to low Earth orbit to test rendezvous and docking procedures with commercial spacecraft intended for future lunar landing operations.
The fourth stage, Artemis IV, is currently targeted for early 2028. NASA says the mission will aim for a crewed landing near the Moon's south pole, where astronauts would conduct science observations and collect samples.
Related: It's Official: Artemis II Has Carried Humans Farther From Earth Than Ever Before
Even without these next stages, however, the science obtained by the Artemis II crew is an absolute treasure trove.
"Our four Artemis II astronauts – Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy – took humanity on an incredible journey around the Moon and brought back images so exquisite and brimming with science, they will inspire generations to come," NASA Science Directorate associate administrator Nicky Fox said.