In brief
Following their historic lunar flyaround, the Artemis II astronauts have shared extraordinary photographs, including 'Earthset' and a total solar eclipse, as they make their way back home. This mission not only continues NASA's legacy of lunar exploration but also sets the stage for a future manned moon landing.
HOUSTON (AP) — The Artemis II astronauts are now forever entwined with Apollo 8, a landmark mission in space history. Just a day after their historic lunar flyaround, NASA has unveiled stunning new photographs captured by the crew, which consists of three Americans and one Canadian. Among the incredible images is one depicting an 'Earthset'—a view of Earth setting behind the moon—mirroring Apollo 8’s iconic 'Earthrise' shot from 1968. Additionally, the crew recorded the moment of a total solar eclipse caused by the moon obscuring the sun from their vantage point.As the astronauts head back to Earth with a splashdown scheduled for Friday in the Pacific, scientists at Houston's Mission Control are analyzing the stream of moon images sent back from the mission. Apollo 8's journey marked the first time humans orbited the moon, and its historic 'Earthrise' photograph became a powerful symbol of the global environmental movement. Artemis II not only commemorates the achievements of Apollo 8 but also marks NASA's ambitious return to the moon, paving the way for a manned lunar landing planned for the next two years.
