NASA Captures Stunning Photos of Moon's Far Side During Artemis II Flyby

Rare images reveal never-before-seen details of the lunar surface, including the massive Orientale basin.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 10:08am

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NASA's Artemis II astronauts have captured remarkable images of the far side of the moon during their historic seven-hour lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. The photos offer an unprecedented glimpse at the hidden hemisphere of the moon, including the massive Orientale basin and other geological features that have never been seen by human eyes before.

Why it matters

These images from the Artemis II mission provide valuable new data that could help scientists better understand the moon's geological history and evolution. Studying the far side, which is never visible from Earth, gives researchers a more complete picture of the lunar surface and the processes that have shaped it over billions of years.

The details

The Artemis II crew documented a range of lunar features during their flyby, including impact craters, ancient lava flows, and fractures on the surface. They also observed the Orientale basin, a 600-mile-wide ringed crater created by a massive lava eruption long ago. Additionally, the astronauts spotted six meteor impact flashes on the moon's darkened side and noted terrain changes within the Vavilov crater.

  • The Artemis II crew captured the images during their seven-hour lunar flyby on April 6, 2026.
  • The mission is expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego at 5:07 p.m. on Friday.

The players

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.

Artemis II

The second mission in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon, including the first woman and first person of color.

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What’s next

The Artemis II mission is expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego on Friday, April 12, 2026, marking the successful completion of the historic lunar flyby.

The takeaway

The stunning images captured by the Artemis II astronauts during their lunar flyby represent a major scientific breakthrough, offering an unprecedented look at the far side of the moon and providing researchers with new insights into the geological history and evolution of Earth's natural satellite.