Artemis II snaps eclipse, Earthset shots on first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo

The Artemis II mission has produced some stunning imagery as the spacecraft loops around the Moon on its journey from Earth and back.

The cameras on the Artemis II mission have been getting a workout as the crew and imaging sensors attached to the spacecraft are snapping pictures throughout the flight. The images do not fully capture what the astronauts saw, but they are still the next best thing to being there.

One that took us aback was a shot of the Moon fully eclipsing the Sun. Almost 54 minutes of totality were created, and the darkness meant that stars were readily visible, "typically too faint when imaging the Moon," according to NASA. The corona is visible as a halo around the lunar disk.

NASA noted, "This unique vantage point provides both a striking visual and a valuable opportunity for astronauts to document and describe the corona during humanity’s ...