Artemis II Crew Captures Stunning Views of Moon's Far Side

NASA's historic lunar mission reaches record distance from Earth as it begins journey back home.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 5:14pm

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A bold, abstract painting in soft blues, greens, and grays depicting the Artemis II spacecraft's journey around the moon, with sweeping geometric arcs and concentric planetary circles representing the spacecraft's lunar orbit.The Artemis II mission's stunning imagery and record-breaking distance traveled provide a glimpse into the future of human space exploration.San Diego Today

In a milestone for human spaceflight, the four-person crew of NASA's Artemis II spacecraft has traveled farther from Earth than any astronauts before, reaching a record distance of 252,756 miles from our planet. During their journey around the moon on April 6, 2026, the crew captured remarkable images of the lunar surface, including the first direct human views of the far side of the moon.

Why it matters

Artemis II marks the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years, paving the way for future deep space exploration. The mission's stunning imagery and record-breaking distance traveled provide valuable scientific data and inspire the public about the possibilities of human space travel.

The details

The Artemis II crew—commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—spent roughly seven hours circling the moon, coming within about 4,067 miles of its surface. Among their remarkable images were a striking 'Earthset' showing Earth slipping behind the lunar horizon, a modern recreation of the famous 'Earthrise' photograph, and a solar eclipse visible only from their vantage point in space that lasted an extraordinary 54 minutes.

  • On April 6, 2026, the Artemis II spacecraft reached a record distance of 252,756 miles from Earth.
  • The crew spent approximately seven hours circling the moon on April 6, 2026.
  • The solar eclipse observed by the Artemis II crew lasted for nearly 54 minutes on April 6, 2026.

The players

Artemis II

NASA's historic crewed lunar mission, the first in over 50 years.

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II mission.

Victor Glover

The pilot of the Artemis II spacecraft.

Christina Koch

A mission specialist on the Artemis II crew.

Jeremy Hansen

A Canadian astronaut on the Artemis II mission.

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What they’re saying

“Because humans probably have not evolved to see what we're seeing. You can see the surface of the moon against the Earthshine. ... You can actually see a majority of the moon. It is the strangest looking thing that you can see so much on the surface.”

— Victor Glover, Artemis II Pilot

“It just looks unreal. You can see the surface of the moon against the Earthshine. ... You can actually see a majority of the moon. It is the strangest looking thing that you can see so much on the surface.”

— Victor Glover, Artemis II Pilot

What’s next

The Artemis II mission is expected to conclude with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego just after 8 p.m. EDT on Friday evening.

The takeaway

Artemis II's historic journey around the moon and its stunning imagery showcase the remarkable progress of human space exploration, setting a new benchmark for future deep space missions and inspiring the public about the possibilities of space travel.