NASA takes a closer look at Artemis II’s Earthrise photo

For once, we are the landscape

We usually look at the Moon from home. This photograph turns that view around: a partially lit Earth appears beyond the Moon, whose edge stands out against the darkness. You do not need to recognize a single crater to pause and take it in.

On October 21, NASA published a video called Artemis II – Earthrise. A lunar scientist and an oceanographer discuss the view of our planet, inviting us to look closely at a familiar place from an unfamiliar perspective rather than work through a list of space facts.

A new video about an earlier photograph

The photograph accompanying this article was not taken today. The Artemis II crew captured it through an Orion spacecraft window during the lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. NASA released it with other images from the flight the following day.

This is a real photograph, not an artist’s impression. You can make out the sunlit area, the clouds and the part in shadow. Against the dark background, the image looks simple, even if the distance from which it was taken is hard to grasp.

You can watch the video on NASA’s official page, linked below, and view the original photograph in its public archive. Readers in Mexico do not need a subscription to see the image. If you would like a break from headlines and notifications, it is a chance to slow down and look.