Planetary Society logo
  • “Exploration is in our nature.” - Carl Sagan

The best images from Artemis II

Kate Howells

Written by Kate Howells
Public Education Specialist, The Planetary Society
April 7, 2026

The Artemis II mission launched on April 1, 2026, carrying a crew of four astronauts around the Moon on April 6 and back to Earth on April 10. Here are our favorite photos from the mission.

Launch

The Artemis II launch up close
The Artemis II launch up close A close-up view shows the immense power of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket as it took off, beginning the Artemis II mission to the Moon.Image: NASA/John Kraus
Cameras capture Artemis II's launch
Cameras capture Artemis II's launch The world was watching as NASA's Artemis II mission launched on April 1, 2026, thanks to the work of science communicators and journalists from around the planet. Here you see cameras set up to capture the launch.Image: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani
Watching the Artemis II launch
Watching the Artemis II launch Guests at the Banana Creek viewing site watched the launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission to the Moon.Image: NASA/Keegan Barber
Artemis II's launch plume
Artemis II's launch plume A dramatic view of the SLS rocket taking off, carrying a crew to the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft for NASA's Artemis II mission.Image: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

En route to the Moon

Earth from Artemis II, day 2
Earth from Artemis II, day 2 A photograph of Earth, taken by Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman shortly after the mission completed its engine burn to send it around the Moon.Image: NASA / Reid Wiseman
The Moon from Orion's window
The Moon from Orion's window The Artemis II crew took this photo of the Moon through the window of the Orion spacecraft at the tail end of the fifth day of their mission. At this time, the Moon's gravity had begun to exert a stronger pull on the spacecraft than Earth's.Image: NASA
Christina Koch views Earth from Orion
Christina Koch views Earth from Orion NASA astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch looks at Earth from the window of the Orion spacecraft on its way to the Moon during the Artemis II mission. At the time, Christina was already farther away than any woman has ever been from our planet.Image: NASA
An Orion spacecraft selfie
An Orion spacecraft selfie The Orion spacecraft snapped this selfie while on its way to the Moon, using a camera mounted on one of its solar array wings during a routine external inspection.Image: NASA
Lunar nearside from Orion
Lunar nearside from Orion A view of the near side of the Moon, the side we always see from Earth, as seen from the Orion spacecraft.Image: NASA

Lunar flyby

The Moon and Earth from Orion
The Moon and Earth from Orion Earth sets over the Moon’s curved limb in this photo captured by the Artemis II crew during their journey around the far side of the Moon.Image: NASA
Orion, the Moon, and Earth
Orion, the Moon, and Earth A camera on one of Orion's solar arrays captured this image of the spacecraft, the Moon, and Earth in the distance.Image: NASA
Earthset
Earthset Earthset captured through the Orion spacecraft window at 6:41 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2026, during the Artemis II crew’s flyby of the Moon. A muted blue Earth with bright white clouds sets behind the cratered lunar surface.Image: NASA
Shadows Across Vavilov Crater
Shadows Across Vavilov Crater The Artemis II crew captured this close-up view of Vavilov Crater on the rim of the older and larger Hertzsprung basin on the Moon during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. The right portion of the image shows the transition from smooth material within an inner ring of mountains to more rugged terrain around the rim. Vavilov and other craters and their ejecta are accentuated by long shadows at the terminator, the boundary between lunar day and night.Image: NASA
Artemis II Earthrise
Artemis II Earthrise The crescent Earth emerges as the Artemis II crew completes their pass behind the Moon.Image: NASA
Solar eclipse from Orion
Solar eclipse from Orion Captured by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, this image shows the Moon fully eclipsing the Sun. From the crew’s perspective, the Moon appeared large enough to completely block the Sun for nearly 54 minutes of totality, extending the eclipse far beyond what we experience on Earth. The corona forms a glowing halo around the dark lunar disk, revealing details of the Sun’s outer atmosphere typically hidden by its brightness. Also visible are stars, typically too faint to see when imaging the Moon. The faint glow on the left side of the Moon is Earthlight — sunlight reflected off our planet.Image: NASA
Venus and the Moon during the Artemis II eclipse
Venus and the Moon during the Artemis II eclipse During the Artemis II crew’s lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, their position put the Moon between the spacecraft and the Sun, creating a total solar eclipse. Here, the Sun’s faint corona remains visible as a soft halo of light around the Moon’s edge. The bright silver glint on the left edge of the image is Venus. Faint lunar features are visible because of light reflected off Earth.Image: NASA

Return to Earth

Artemis II crew hug
Artemis II crew hug The Artemis II crew shares a group hug the day after their flyby of the Moon. The crew said in one interview that the thing they will miss most about their time in space is each other. They had been training together for their mission for the past three years.Image: NASA
Orion splashing down
Orion splashing down NASA's Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 8:07 p.m. ET on Friday, April 10, 2026, concluding a successful 10-day journey around the Moon.Image: NASA
Orion and parachutes after splashdown
Orion and parachutes after splashdown Orion's drogue parachutes drift down into the water after the spacecraft successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.Image: NASA
Orion in the water
Orion in the water Orion floats in the water as recovery teams work to secure the spacecraft ahead of retrieving Artemis II crew members from the spacecraft.Image: NASA
Artemis II crew recovery
Artemis II crew recovery A helicopter prepares to lift the Artemis II crew aboard and carry them to the recovery ship.Image: NASA
Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen post-flight
Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen post-flight Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman (in orange, left) and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen (in orange, right) radiate happiness as they sit on the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha after concluding their successful mission around the Moon.Image: NASA
Victor Glover and Christina Koch post-flight
Victor Glover and Christina Koch post-flight Artemis II pilot Victor Glover (in orange, left) and mission specialist Christina Koch (in orange, right) are all smiles as they celebrate their successful mission around the Moon from the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha.Image: NASA
A hug for a home away from home
A hug for a home away from home Astronaut Christina Koch gives a big hug of appreciation to the Orion spacecraft the day after it brought her and her crewmates safely back to Earth.Image: NASA/Bill Ingalls

You Power the Next Great Discovery!

Fund future scientific research that advances space science and exploration with your gift today.

Donate