Earthset: Historic Far-Side Moon Photo Revealed

In a groundbreaking achievement, the Artemis II astronauts have transmitted the first-ever photograph of Earth taken from the far side of the Moon. This stunning image, captured from the Orion spacecraft during a lunar flyby last Monday, has been christened 'Earthset' by NASA, echoing the iconic 'Earthrise' photograph from the Apollo 8 mission nearly 60 years ago. The White House shared the photo on X, noting, "Humanity, from the other side."

President Donald Trump engaged in a call with the Artemis II crew, commending their historic feat and calling them "modern-day pioneers." He expressed that their mission has made "all of America really proud" and that "Humans have really never seen anything quite like what you're doing in a manned spacecraft."

The 'Earthset' photo depicts a muted blue Earth with bright white clouds set against the cratered lunar surface. NASA detailed that the dark portion of Earth in the image was experiencing nighttime, while swirling clouds were visible over the Australia and Oceania region on the day side. Mission Specialist Christina Koch described the view as "special," noting the profound contrast of Earth's beauty against the surrounding blackness of space.

The Artemis II mission is nearing its conclusion, with the crew embarking on their journey back to Earth. The spacecraft is expected to complete a total voyage of 695,081 miles. The capsule is scheduled for a splashdown off the West Coast near San Diego early Friday evening. This mission significantly extends the reach of human spaceflight, traveling over 4,000 miles further from Earth than the Apollo 13 mission.