The Moon like you have never seen it! Artemis 2 crew shares stunning photos of the lunar far side, a rare deep space eclipse, and a silent Earthrise. See the world through their windows. (Photo: Nasa)

Artemis 2 Moon photos: Astronauts capture stunning Earthrise, hidden craters

Nasa's Artemis 2 crew has released breathtaking images of the Moon's far side and a historic Earthrise. See the lunar terminator and the solar eclipse captured from deep space.

by · India Today

In Short

  • Artemis 2 crew photographed lunar far side in 3D detail.
  • Historic Earthrise captured after a 40-minute communications blackout in space.
  • Astronauts use eclipse glasses near the Moon to study corona.

Four humans have just flown around the Moon for the first time in over five decades, capturing a world that has remained largely hidden from human eyes.

Armed with high-resolution cameras and eclipse glasses, the Artemis 2 crew documented the lunar surface in unprecedented detail.

The Artemis 2 astronauts witnessed a breathtaking Earthrise at approximately 7:10 p.m. IST on Tuesday, April 7, when Earth emerged from behind the lunar limb following a 40-minute communications blackout.

Historic Earthrise captured after a 40-minute communications blackout in space. (Photo: Nasa)

This silent reappearance of home was a highlight of the historic mission where four humans flew around the Moon for the first time in over five decades.

These photographs are not just beautiful; they provide a fresh look at the rugged landscape of the lunar far side and the moment Earth reappeared from the darkness.

WHAT DID THE ARTEMIS 2 CREW PHOTOGRAPH ON THE MOON?

During a seven-hour observation window on April 7, the crew captured images of both the near side and the far side of the Moon.

Because of tidal locking, a process where the Moon’s rotation matches its orbit around Earth so perfectly that one side always faces away from us, we never see the far side from our planet.

A stunning Earthrise captured at 7:10 p.m. IST on April 7, as our blue planet reappears from the lunar horizon. (Photo: Nasa)

One striking image shows the lunar terminator, which is the sharp dividing line between the sunlit day side and the dark night side.

The lunar terminator, the sharp boundary between day and night, casts long shadows over Birkhoff crater to reveal its deep ridges. (Photo: Nasa)

At this boundary, the low angle of sunlight creates long shadows that make craters like Birkhoff and Stebbins appear in 3D.

WHAT IS THE ORIENTALE BASIN?

The crew also captured the Orientale basin, a massive impact crater about 965 kilometres wide.

This basin was formed billions of years ago when a giant space rock smashed into the Moon, creating ripples in the lunar crust that look like mountains.

A view of the 965-kilometre-wide Orientale basin, a massive impact crater. This image shows concentric mountain rings formed by a massive ancient impact. (Photo: Nasa)

At the edge of this basin, the crew spotted two smaller craters.

They have proposed naming these craters Integrity, after the spacecraft, and Carroll, in honour of the late wife of Commander Reid Wiseman.

HOW DID THE CREW SEE THE SOLAR ECLIPSE?

As the spacecraft moved behind the Moon, the Sun disappeared for nearly an hour, creating a total solar eclipse.

Artemis 2 astronauts captured a rare total solar eclipse which was only visible from the Orion spacecraft. This is because the Moon blocked the Sun directly from their perspective, during the lunar flyby. (Photo: Nasa)

The crew used special eclipse glasses to safely study the solar corona, which is the Sun’s wispy outermost atmosphere.

As the Orion spacecraft moved behind the Moon, the Sun disappeared for nearly an hour, creating a total solar eclipse. (Photo: Nasa)

The sight of Earth hanging in the black void of space remains one of the most iconic moments of the mission.

- Ends