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NASA released the first images from Artemis II’s lunar flyby on April 7, 2026. Captured by the four-person crew during a seven-hour flyby the previous day, the photos show far-side crater terrain, Earth disappearing and reappearing beyond the lunar horizon, the South Pole–Aitken basin, and a solar eclipse viewed from deep space. They are a new crewed-flyby image set—not the first images ever taken of the Moon’s far side.
What NASA’s Artemis II photos show
The images combine close views of lunar terrain with views that are possible only from beyond the Moon’s near side. NASA’s gallery includes a crater close-up, Earthset and Earthrise, part of the South Pole–Aitken basin, and the Moon blocking the Sun from Orion’s viewpoint. NASA’s Artemis II first-flyby image gallery presents the set.
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Crater terrain and Vavilov
In “Shadows Across Vavilov Crater,” a handheld camera with a 400 mm lens captures Vavilov on the rim of the Hertzsprung basin. Low-angle sunlight casts long shadows along the terminator—the boundary between lunar day and night—bringing out crater ejecta and surface relief. The crew also documented ancient lava flows, fractures, and variations in color, brightness, and texture.
Earthset and Earthrise
Orion’s window frames Earthset at 6:41 p.m. EDT on April 6, 2026, with Ohm crater in the foreground. The “Artemis Era Earthrise” image, captured at 7:22 p.m. EDT with a 400 mm lens, shows a crescent Earth above rugged lunar terrain. NASA rotated that image 90 degrees clockwise for standard viewing, so its displayed orientation is not the camera’s original orientation.
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The South Pole–Aitken basin and eclipse
“Ready for Close Up” shows the eastern edge of the South Pole–Aitken basin, which NASA describes as the Moon’s largest and oldest basin. In “Artemis II in Eclipse,” the Moon completely blocks the Sun as seen from the spacecraft. Totality lasted nearly 54 minutes. NASA says scientists are investigating whether the glow around the eclipsed Sun is the solar corona, zodiacal light, or a combination of both.
How the astronauts took the photographs
The Artemis II crew photographed the Moon by hand through Orion’s windows, using a fleet of cameras during the seven-hour lunar-far-side flyby on April 6, 2026. NASA says the astronauts took thousands of photos. The 400 mm examples show how a long focal length could frame particular features such as Vavilov Crater and Earth above the horizon; other images record broader scenes and the changing view as Orion traveled around the Moon. NASA’s account of the crew’s lunar-flyby images gives the capture times and image descriptions.
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The observations have scientific as well as visual value. Craters, lava flows, fractures, and differences in surface color and texture can help scientists investigate lunar geologic evolution and inform planning for later exploration. Camera photographs are observations of the surface, not physical samples; their value lies in documenting features and patterns from a crewed viewpoint.
Why the far side is rarely seen from Earth
The far side is the lunar hemisphere that faces away from Earth. The Moon rotates once on its axis in roughly the same time it takes to orbit Earth, keeping nearly the same hemisphere turned toward us. As a result, observers on Earth cannot see the far side directly. A spacecraft must travel around the Moon, or view it from a distant position and suitable geometry, to photograph that hemisphere.
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“Far side” is more accurate than “dark side.” The far side receives sunlight during its lunar daytime; “dark” describes a temporary lighting condition, not a permanent feature of that hemisphere. NASA’s earlier DSCOVR images, for example, show the sunlit far side crossing in front of Earth.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Are these the first photos of the far side?
No. Spacecraft photographed far-side regions well before Artemis II. In 2015, NASA’s DSCOVR satellite captured the fully illuminated far side as the Moon crossed between Earth and the EPIC camera, roughly one million miles from Earth. EPIC is a four-megapixel CCD camera and telescope. That distant viewpoint produced a view of the Moon against the whole Earth, rather than the crew-level lunar scenes captured from Orion. NASA’s DSCOVR/EPIC visualization describes those earlier images.
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NASA’s Galileo spacecraft also viewed lunar regions from a vantage point unavailable from Earth and obtained multispectral images of the lunar limb and far-side highlands. Those observations helped scientists compare far-side composition with material sampled on the near side by Apollo missions. NASA’s Galileo lunar-imaging resource describes that work.
Artemis II’s distinction is a new set of images made by astronauts during a crewed flyby in 2026, including views of regions NASA says no human had seen before. The novelty is the crewed observation and returned image set, not the first photography of the far side.
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How the different far-side views compare
| Image group | Viewpoint and scale | Lighting and purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Artemis II | Handheld cameras through Orion’s windows; close-ups as well as broader flyby views. NASA identifies 400 mm lens images of Vavilov Crater and Earthrise. | Includes terminator shadows, Earthset and Earthrise, and a solar eclipse. Crew observations document terrain and support geological study and exploration planning. |
| DSCOVR/EPIC | Distant view from about one million miles from Earth, using a four-megapixel CCD camera and telescope. | NASA’s 2015 imagery shows the fully sunlit far side crossing in front of Earth, illustrating an Earth-observation geometry. |
| Galileo | Spacecraft viewpoint unavailable from Earth; multispectral images of the lunar limb and far-side highlands. | Provided a way to compare far-side composition with near-side material sampled by Apollo. |
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