Nasa has shared the first high-resolution images of the Earth taken by the Artemis II crew as they begin their lunar journey.
The mission's commander, Reid Wiseman, took these spectacular images after the crew completed a final engine burn, setting a trajectory towards the Moon.
The first image, titled Hello, World, shows the vast expanse of blue Atlantic Ocean framed by a thin glow of Earth's atmosphere as it eclipses the Sun, with green auroras visible at each pole.
Interestingly, the earth appears upside down in the image, showcasing the western Sahara and Iberian peninsula to the left and eastern South America to the right. Nasa identified the bright planet in the corner as Venus.
Alongside this, another memorable capture titled Artemis II Looking Back at Earth depicts Earth from one of Orion spacecraft’s windows. These views were taken after successfully completing a trans-lunar injection burn that propelled the Orion spacecraft out of Earth's orbit, aiming for the more than 200,000-mile journey to the Moon.
Artemis II, carrying four astronauts, is now on a path that loops around the far side of the Moon. This mission is significant as it marks the first time humans have traveled beyond Earth's orbit since 1972. They are expected to pass the far side of the Moon by April 6 and return to Earth by April 10.
As the crew embarked on this journey, their excitement was palpable. Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen reported that they were glued to the windows of the spacecraft, capturing images of the dark side of the Earth lit by the Moon. Wiseman humorously requested advice on how to clean the windows, dirty from their enthusiasm to gaze into space.
These stunning astronomical visuals not only showcase Earth's beauty but also underline humanity's continued quest for exploration and understanding of our universe.
