Photos: Artemis II visits the far side of the moon, sees ‘Earthset’

(NEXSTAR) – Astronauts aboard the Orion space capsule on Monday set a distance record as they completed a lunar fly-around, getting views of unseen parts of the backside of our moon.

The Artemis II crew – Mission Spc. Jeremy Hansen, of Canada, along with U.S. astronauts Mission Spc. Christina Koch, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover – had six hours allocated for moon observation.

The crew has previously established targets to view on the moon, all of which they were able to capture on Monday. Topping their science target list: Orientale Basin, a sprawling impact basin with three concentric rings, the outermost of which stretches nearly 600 miles across.

Thousands of pictures are expected, according to their moon mentor, NASA geologist Kelsey Young. While we likely will not see many of those for a while – more on that in a moment – some have already been sent back to Earth.

You can view those photos below:

In this image provided by NASA, The Artemis II crew captured from lunar orbit, the Moon eclipses the Sun on Monday, April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)

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. (NASA via AP)

In this image from video provided by NASA, the Orion Spacecraft, the Earth and the Moon are seen from a camera as the Artemis II crew and spacecraft travel farther into Space, Monday, April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)

In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew captured this image of the Orientale basin, a round crater with a black patch in the center, on the Moon during a lunar flyby, Monday, April 6, 2026. NASA via AP)

In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew captured this view of the Earth next to the Moon before Earthset during a lunar flyby, Monday, April 6, 2026. NASA via AP)

In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew captured this view as the Earth sets behind the Moon during a lunar flyby, Monday, April 6, 2026. NASA via AP)

In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew captured this view of the Earth next to the Moon before Earthset during a........

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