HOUSTON — NASA’s Artemis II crew has created their own piece of space history, capturing breathtaking images that echo the legendary Apollo 8 mission from more than five decades ago.
Following their successful moon flyby, NASA unveiled remarkable photographs taken by the four-member international crew on Tuesday.
The astronauts — three from the United States and one from Canada — produced their own version of Apollo 8’s iconic 1968 ‘Earthrise’ photograph, calling theirs ‘Earthset’ as it shows Earth disappearing behind the moon’s cratered, gray surface. The crew also documented a complete solar eclipse visible from their vantage point as the moon passed between them and the sun.
The team is currently traveling back to Earth, with their Pacific Ocean touchdown scheduled for Friday.
The original Apollo 8 crew made history as humanity’s first lunar visitors when they orbited the moon during Christmas Eve 1968. Their famous ‘Earthrise’ image went on to become an iconic symbol for the environmental movement.
This Artemis II mission represents NASA’s first crewed return to lunar vicinity and serves as a crucial milestone in preparation for an actual moon landing mission planned for 2026.
