NASA releases picture of Earthset shot by Artemis crew

Lead

NASA on Tuesday released a historic image of Earth slipping below the lunar horizon — an "Earthset" — captured by the Artemis II crew during their record-setting lunar flyby earlier this week. The photograph, taken from the Orion spacecraft, is a modern counterpart to the iconic "Earthrise" image captured by Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders in 1968, according to multiple outlets.

The four-member crew — US astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — has been on a landmark journey looping around the Moon as part of NASA's Artemis program, which aims to pave the way for a Moon landing by 2028, per reports from Al Jazeera, France 24, Deutsche Welle, and the South China Morning Post.

Coverage Comparison

Reports of the Earthset image have been consistent across international outlets, though with slight variations in detail and emphasis. ABC Australia framed the story around the mission's "record-breaking voyage," highlighting the crew's experiences, including witnessing a total solar eclipse and observing the lunar surface in detail. Al Jazeera and France 24 both focused on the historic nature of the flyby and the release of the new image, noting its connection to the 1968 Earthrise photo. Deutsche Welle similarly reported the photo as a "nod" to the Apollo 8 image, while also providing context on the mission's broader objectives. The South China Morning Post emphasized the crew's "long journey back home" and the deliberate echo of the earlier mission.

Key Claims

• Earthset photo captured: All five sources report that the Artemis II crew took the Earthset photo during their lunar flyby. The image shows Earth dipping below the Moon's horizon, with NASA releasing it on April 7, 2026. The South China Morning Post notes the photo was taken "on their long journey back home," and France 24 specifies it was captured on Monday as the Orion capsule orbited the Moon.

• Echo of Apollo 8's Earthrise: Multiple sources, including Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, France 24, and the South China Morning Post, describe the new image as a deliberate nod to the 1968 Earthrise photo taken by Bill Anders during the first human flyby of the Moon. France 24 adds that the Apollo 8 image was taken on December 24, 1968, by Anders alongside Frank Borman and Jim Lovell.

• Crew composition: All sources list the crew as US astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover, with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Deutsche Welle adds that Glover is the first Black person to fly around the Moon, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-American on such a mission.

• Mission objectives: The Artemis II mission is described as a broader program intended to pave the way for a Moon landing. Al Jazeera, France 24, and the South China Morning Post cite a 2028 target, while Deutsche Welle reports a potential 2026 landing. This discrepancy is noted but not resolved in the available reports.

• Record distance: ABC Australia and Deutsche Welle report that the crew broke the record for the longest distance traveled from Earth by humans, reaching 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers) from Earth. This claim is carried by two sources, though ABC Australia provides the same figure in a separate report. This remains a specific detail not mentioned in other outlets' extracts.

• Solar eclipse witnessed: Several sources note that the crew witnessed a total solar eclipse — when the Moon passed in front of the Sun from their perspective — during the flyby. ABC Australia describes nearly 54 minutes of totality, while Deutsche Welle mentions the crew wore protective glasses during the event. Al Jazeera and the South China Morning Post also reference the eclipse, with the latter noting the crew observed it from the far side of the Moon.

• Lunar surface observations: ABC Australia reports that the crew described the lunar surface in detail, including cliffs, ridges, and canyons, based on a quote from Victor Glover. This specific observation is not mentioned in other available extracts.

Perspectives

NASA and White House framing: Both NASA and the White House shared the Earthset image on social media, with the White House posting, "Humanity, from the other side," and describing it as the "first photo from the far side of the Moon," as reported by Al Jazeera and the South China Morning Post. This framing emphasizes the achievement of capturing a view of Earth from a vantage point few have seen.

Crew experiences: Quotes from the crew highlight the wonder of the mission. Victor Glover, as reported by ABC Australia and Deutsche Welle, described the view as "going sci-fi" and "truly hard to describe," while Reid Wiseman (in ABC Australia's report) called it "unreal," noting the Moon's surface visible through Earthshine.

Historical context: Outlets consistently invoke the Apollo 8 mission, noting that 57 years separate the two images. France 24 and the South China Morning Post emphasize the enduring public significance of the Earthrise photo, which helped capture the imagination of a generation, and see the new image as its modern counterpart.

Divergence on landing date: While most sources cite 2028 as the target for a Moon landing, Deutsche Welle reports a potential 2026 landing. This discrepancy may reflect different stages of program planning or interpretation of NASA's schedule, but the available extracts do not clarify the cause.