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Artemis II: Crew snaps 'Earthset' in throwback to Apollo 8

Rana Taha with AFP, AP
April 7, 2026

The Artemis II astronauts photographed the moment when the Earth dips below the moon's horizon, as they prepare to return to our planet's gravitational pull.

https://p.dw.com/p/5Bomo
In this image provided by NASA, The Artemis II crew captured this view of an Earthset on Monday, April 6, 2026, as they flew around the Moon
Artemis II's stunning Earthset shot is a nod to a similar photo taken some 58 years ago by their Apollo 8 predecessorsImage: NASA/AP Photo/picture alliance

The Artemis II crew gave another throwback to 20th century space endeavors, when they on Tuesday snapped a breathtaking shot of an "Earthset," or the moment the Earth dips below the moon's horizon.

The photo is a nod to an iconic Earthrise image, which an Apollo 8 astronaut took in 1968.

What is the latest on the Artemis II mission?

The crew were preparing to return back to the Earth's gravitational pull, after they on Monday broke the record for the longest distance traveled from Earth by humans.

They are due to splashdown in the Pacific off the Californian coast on Friday.

This image, provided by NASA, shows the Artemis 2 crew members Christina Koch (left to right), Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover wearing solar eclipse glasses on Apr 6, 2026
The Artemis had to wear protective glasses crew while witnessing a total solar eclipseImage: NASA/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance

The Artemis II reached a distance of 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers) away from the earth, breaking the 1970 Apollo 13's record by more than 4,000 miles.

On Tuesday, the four of them were seen wearing their protective glasses as they witnessed a a total solar eclipse, when the moon blocked the sun from their perspective.

In this image, provided by NASA and taken by the Artemis 2 crew from lunar orbit, the Moon is eclipsing the Sun on Apr 6, 2026
The Artemis II crew got to experience a total solar eclipse on their historic mission around Earth's natural satelliteImage: NASA/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance

The crew includes US astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Glover is the first Black person to fly around the moon, Koch is the first woman and Hansen is the first non-American.

Their historic mission to loop around Earth's natural satellite is part of a broader program in preparation for a potential 2026 moon landing.

"Humans probably have not evolved to see what we're seeing," said Victor Glover. "It is truly hard to describe. It is amazing."

This handout picture released on April 7, 2026, by NASA shows crescent Earth setting along the Moon's limb, as seen from the Orion spacecraft on April 6, 2026
The crew of 4 sent back several breathtaking photos of their view of the moon and the EarthImage: NASA/AFP

Edited by: Wesley Rahn