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On the occasion of Earth Day, NASA released a series of stunning photographs of our planet taken by the four astronauts of the Artemis II mission during their historic journey around the Moon. It is our home, the space agency wrote while sharing the images on its social media.
Among the featured images is a photograph taken on April 6 by Commander Reid Wiseman, which depicts Earth setting behind the lunar horizon in a visually stunning sequence.
One of the shots became the first photograph of its kind taken by a crewed mission, captured from the far side of the Moon, a historical milestone for human space exploration.
NASA has also made available to the public a complete gallery, released on April 7, featuring images optimized for use as wallpapers on mobile devices.
The Artemis II mission was launched on April 1 from pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, marking the first crewed flight around the Moon in over half a century.
After successfully completing its lunar journey, the capsule landed in the Pacific Ocean on April 11, marking the conclusion of a mission that will be etched in the annals of space exploration.
The agency also took the opportunity to present the official Earth Day 2026 poster, which features some of the images captured during the mission.
NASA hopes that these images will inspire generations to care for our planet and continue exploring the cosmos.
Image Gallery
The Earth divided between light and darkness
An impressive view of the planet reveals the terminator line dividing Earth into two diagonal halves: one shrouded in darkness and the other illuminated. In the visible area, the blues of the oceans dominate, along with moving formations of white clouds.
The Earth in a crescent shape from space
Against the black backdrop of space, Earth appears as a slender, glowing crescent, with shades of blue and white reminiscent of a smile. The image underscores the fragility and beauty of the planet as seen from afar.
The blue horizon of the planet seen by Artemis II
Captured during the Artemis II mission, this image shows Earth occupying the lower half of the frame. Extensive bodies of water and clouds can be seen, while the edge of the planet glows with a faint blue light that highlights its curvature.
Continents and oceans from lunar orbit
The Earth occupies the upper part of the image, revealing, among scattered clouds, areas of land in shades of green and brown, as well as wide expanses of ocean. The photograph provides a detailed perspective of the Earth's surface from the Artemis II mission.
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