For the first time in over 50 years, humans have seen the far side of the Moon and the pictures prove it.
The NASA Artemis II moon flyby wrapped up a historic seven-hour lunar observation on April 6, marking humanity’s first return to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.
First images have now been released and they are breathtaking.
Earthrise Reborn and a Record Broken
NASA shared the first photos from the lunar flyby, including a stunning image of Earth rising above the Moon’s horizon bearing a striking resemblance to the iconic “Earthrise” photo taken by Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders in 1968.
During the flyby, the crew set a new human spaceflight distance record reaching 252,756 miles from Earth, surpassing the Apollo 13 record held for 56 years.
First Humans to See a Solar Eclipse in Space
The Artemis II crew became the first people to witness a total solar eclipse from space, watching the Sun disappear behind a mostly darkened Moon as the solar corona glowed around the lunar edge.
The image, shared by the White House, is among the most striking of the mission.
Heading Home — Splashdown Friday
After the flyby concluded, the crew spoke with President Trump in a live conversation and also answered questions from social media.
They are now on the return journey to Earth, with splashdown scheduled in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego on Friday.
The full set of Moon photos will be released after landing due to downlink limitations.