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Nasa’s Artemis crew snaps historic Earthset photo on way home from moon

The Artemis II astronauts snapped a stunning shot of Earthset – the moment when the Earth dips below the moon’s horizon – on their long…

By Samantha Johnson / April 7, 2026

The Artemis II astronauts snapped a stunning shot of Earthset – the moment when the Earth dips below the moon’s horizon – on their long journey back home on Tuesday after wrapping up a historic lunar fly-by.

Nasa released the photo of Earth dropping below the rugged lunar edge in a deliberate nod to the iconic Earthrise image taken by an Apollo 8 astronaut in 1968.

That shot 57 years ago helped capture the public’s imagination when it was taken by US astronaut Bill Anders during the first space mission to carry humans around the moon.

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The modern version pairs the delicate, watery planet Earth with the harsh, huge curve of the moon, separated by black space.

“First photo from the far side of the moon,” the White House said, reposting the image.

The sun is fully eclipsed by the moon during the Artemis II crew’s lunar fly-by. Photo: Nasa via Reuters
The sun is fully eclipsed by the moon during the Artemis II crew’s lunar fly-by. Photo: Nasa via Reuters

The crew of four – US astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover, teamed with Canadian Jeremy Hansen – are on a historic mission to loop around Earth’s natural satellite as part of a broader programme paving the way for a moon landing in 2028.

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