NASA has released the first high-resolution images of Earth taken by astronauts aboard the Artemis II spacecraft, as the crew journeys between Earth and the Moon.
The breathtaking images were captured by mission commander Reid Wiseman after the crew completed a critical engine burn that placed the Orion spacecraft on a trajectory toward the Moon.
At the time the images were taken, NASA’s tracking data showed the spacecraft approximately 142,000 miles (228,500 km) from Earth and about 132,000 miles from the Moon.
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One of the standout images, titled Hello, World, reveals a vivid view of the Atlantic Ocean, framed by Earth’s glowing atmosphere. The image also shows green auroras shimmering near both poles as the planet eclipses the Sun.
The Earth appears upside down in the photograph, with the western Sahara and Iberian Peninsula visible on one side and parts of South America on the other. NASA also identified a bright object in the frame as the planet Venus.
Another image, Artemis II Looking Back at Earth, was taken from inside the Orion capsule, offering a unique perspective through one of its windows.
The photographs were captured shortly after the spacecraft executed a trans-lunar injection burn, propelling it out of Earth’s orbit and setting the astronauts on a journey of more than 200,000 miles toward the Moon.
This mission marks a historic milestone, as it is the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972 that humans have travelled beyond Earth’s orbit.
The Artemis II crew is expected to loop around the far side of the Moon on April 6 before returning to Earth on April 10.
Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen described the crew as being “glued to the windows” after the burn, captivated by the view of Earth’s dark side illuminated by reflected light from the Moon.
“We are getting a beautiful view of the dark side of the Earth, lit by the Moon,” he said.
Another striking image shows the boundary between day and night on Earth—known as the terminator—cutting across the planet, while a later photo captures Earth in near-total darkness, with city lights shimmering across its surface.
Despite initial challenges with camera exposure due to the vast distance, Wiseman later reported improved results, likening the experience to trying to photograph the Moon from one’s backyard.
NASA also released a side-by-side comparison of the new images with similar photographs taken during Apollo 17, highlighting both technological advancements and the enduring beauty of Earth seen from space.
“We’ve come so far in the last 54 years, but one thing hasn’t changed: our home looks gorgeous from space!” NASA noted.
BBC