NASA Captures Unprecedented Photos of Moon's Far Side

Artemis II astronauts document never-before-seen craters, lava flows, and meteor impacts during historic lunar flyby.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 4:03am

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A bold, abstract painting in muted earth tones depicting the intricate, overlapping structures and craters of the moon's far side, visualizing the ancient forces that have shaped its surface over billions of years.The Artemis II mission's unprecedented images of the moon's far side offer a rare glimpse into the lunar surface's complex geological history.San Diego Today

NASA's Artemis II mission has captured groundbreaking images of the far side of the moon, revealing new insights into the lunar surface. The astronauts documented impact craters, ancient lava flows, and fractures during their seven-hour flyby, including a rare view of the massive Mare Orientale crater that straddles the far side. The observations could help scientists better understand the moon's geological history.

Why it matters

This mission marks the first time humans have photographed the entirety of the moon's far side, which is permanently hidden from view on Earth. The new images provide an unprecedented look at the lunar surface and will aid scientific research into the moon's formation and evolution.

The details

The Artemis II crew captured high-resolution images of the far side of the moon, including the 600-mile-wide Mare Orientale crater, impact craters, ancient lava flows, and fractures on the surface. They also observed six meteor impact flashes on the darkened side of the moon and noted terrain changes, such as the smooth texture within the Vavilov crater and the rugged terrain around it. Additionally, the astronauts witnessed a rare 53-minute solar eclipse while on the far side of the moon.

  • The Artemis II mission conducted its historic lunar flyby on April 6, 2026.
  • The Artemis II spacecraft is expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego on Friday, April 12, 2026 at 5:07 p.m.

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. Artemis II is an uncrewed lunar flyby mission that captured unprecedented images of the far side of the moon.

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What they’re saying

“The observations could help scientists understand more about the moon's geological history.”

— The New York Times

What’s next

The Artemis II spacecraft is expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego on Friday, April 12, 2026 at 5:07 p.m. NASA will analyze the images and data collected during the historic lunar flyby to aid future Artemis missions and lunar exploration efforts.

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission has provided an unprecedented look at the far side of the moon, offering new insights into the lunar surface and its geological history. This breakthrough in lunar observation will help advance our scientific understanding of Earth's celestial companion and pave the way for future crewed missions to the moon.