NASA has released the first-ever image of Earth as seen from the far side of the Moon, a historic shot taken by the Artemis 2 crew during their flyby on Tuesday. The image received immediate praise from President Donald Trump, who described the astronauts in a phone call as “pioneers of the modern age.”
Reviving the “Earthrise” Myth
NASA compared this iconic image, the first ever taken from this precise perspective, to the famous “Earthrise” photograph taken by astronaut Bill Anders during the Apollo 8 mission nearly 60 years ago. The agency named the new image “Earthset,” in homage to the 1968 photograph.
The White House commented on the image via its X platform, saying: “Humanity, from the other side… The first image from the far side of the Moon, taken by the Orion spacecraft as Earth dips below the lunar horizon.”
Details of the historic image:
The photo was taken from the Orion spacecraft window at 7:00 PM Eastern Time on Monday. It shows Earth in a pale blue hue with bright white clouds as it disappears behind the heavily cratered surface of the Moon. NASA explained that the dark side of Earth is experiencing nighttime, while clouds are visible over Australia and Oceania on the sunlit side.
