The return of human beings to lunar orbit after 54 years not only brought us scientific data, it brought us the best postcards ever! This Tuesday, the White House left the world open-mouthed by publishing the images captured by the Artemis II crew. These are moments that look like something out of a movie, but are real proof that humanity has returned to “the final frontier”.
The most striking image shows our “blue marble”, the Earth, slowly hiding behind the rugged horizon of the hidden face of the Moon. It’s a perspective we haven’t had since 1972, when Apollo 17 bade farewell to the satellite. Seeing our home from that distance, in the midst of absolute darkness, reminds us how fragile and special we are.
First photo from the far side of the Moon
EARTHSET.
April 6, 2026.Humanity, from the other side. First photo from the far side of the Moon. Captured from Orion as Earth dips beyond the lunar horizon. Photo: NASA pic.twitter.com/ZEBTQA85TY
– The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 7, 2026
“Humanity, from the other side. First photo from the far side of the Moon. Captured from Orion as the Earth hides behind the lunar horizon,” the White House stated on social network X about the first photo.
This image shows the rough surface of the satellite and the Earth hiding behind it.
An eclipse that no one could see on Earth
THE ARTEMIS II ECLIPSE.
April 6, 2026.Totality, beyond Earth. From lunar orbit, the Moon eclipses the Sun, revealing a view few in human history have ever witnessed. Photo: NASA pic.twitter.com/2cLJDD3oL7p
– The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 7, 2026
But the real crown jewel is the second photograph: a total solar eclipse that lasted 53 minutes.
The most incredible thing? It was completely invisible to us down here.
Only the four astronauts aboard the Orion capsule were able to witness the Moon blotting out the Sun from their vantage point, leaving only the bright solar corona visible.
To achieve these shots, NASA equipped the spacecraft with 32 high-tech cameras spread inside and out.
As Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen peered out the windows, cameras recorded every detail of the brown and blue hues of the lunar surface, fulfilling the 30 observation objectives Houston tasked them with.
On the way home with history in the suitcase
Hello, Moon. It’s great to be back.
Here’s a taste of what the Artemis II astronauts photographed during their flight around the Moon. Check out more photos from the mission: https://t.co/rzM1P0QbOl pic.twitter.com/6jWINHkDLh
– NASA (@NASA) April 7, 2026
Artemis II shines not only for its photos, but for its diverse crew that includes for the first time a woman, an African-American and a Canadian in lunar orbit.
This Tuesday at 1:25 PM, the Orion officially left the Moon’s influence to begin its return journey.
If all goes well, Friday will see the historic splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
But before arriving, the astronauts will make a digital tech stop: a brief chat with their teammates on the International Space Station (ISS).
What a wave with that space “facetime”!
Which of the two photos struck you more: the Earth hiding or the secret eclipse?
Filed under: First photo from the far side of the Moon
