See the 'amazing' photos of Earth taken on historic Artemis II moon mission

NASA has shared the first breathtaking views of Earth taken from the Artemis II mission as the crew continues its journey toward the moon.

The photos reveal Earth behind the Orion spacecraft, our home planet aglow with aurora.

One photo of Earth, taken Thursday by Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman from the Orion window, shows the planet backlit, with auroras visible at the top right and bottom left, Lakiesha Hawkins, deputy director for NASA’s Artemis program, said Friday during a news conference.

Earth from the Orion spacecraft’s window after completing the translunar injection burn. (Reid Wiseman / NASA) — Earth from the Orion spacecraft’s window after completing the translunar injection burn on April 2. There are two auroras (top right and bottom left) and zodiacal light (bottom right) is visible as the Earth eclipses the sun. (Reid Wiseman / NASA)
(Reid Wiseman)

A zodiacal light is also visible at the bottom right as the Earth eclipses the sun, she said.

Another photo of Earth, also taken by Wiseman, shows a terminator line, meaning the line separating daylight and nighttime on the planet.

A view of earth seen from space. (NASA) — A view of Earth taken by NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman from one of the Orion spacecraft's four windows after completing the translunar injection burn on April 2. (NASA)
(NASA)

“What an amazing shot that he shared with us here,” she said.

The photos were taken after completing the translunar injection burn Thursday.

Hawkins said Friday, the third day of the Artemis II mission, that so far systems are normal and “the crew is in great spirit.”

Earth seen from space. (NASA) — A view of a backlit Earth taken by NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman from one of the Orion spacecraft's window after completing the translunar injection burn on April 2. (NASA)
(NASA)

The four crew members — NASA astronauts Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — launched Wednesday on the 10-day mission.

As of Friday, the crew is more than 100,000 miles from Earth, with about 150,000 miles to go to the moon.

The mission does not include a lunar landing, but is designed as a step toward a landing in 2028.

Artemis II crew members Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover answer questions from reporters during the first downlink event of their mission. April 2, 2026. (NASA) — Artemis II crew members Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover answer questions from reporters during the first downlink event of their mission on April 2. (NASA)
(NASA)

The next major milestone for the space pioneers will be Monday, when the crew is expected to fly around the moon.

That flyby could mark the farthest venture from Earth made by humans, surpassing the distance record of 248,655 miles set by the Apollo 13 astronauts in 1970.