Why you can’t see any stars in photos from Artemis II

(NEXSTAR) – Looking up into the night sky, you’re bound to see the moon and stars (and maybe a planet or some satellites). The photos being shared by the crew of Artemis II, however, haven’t shown you all of that. 

The astronauts within the Orion capsule have shared photos of Earth and the moon, giving us earthlings insights into what they’re seeing on their historic lunar fly-around. That includes shots of the Orientale basin, a part of the moon that human eyes have never seen in its entirety, taken by Nikon cameras. They also have iPhone 17 Pro Maxes on board for photos and videos.

What you won’t see in the pictures are any stars. 

Slideshow: Photos from Artemis II mission

This image provided by NASA shows a view of Earth taken by NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman from of the Orion spacecraft’s window after completing the translunar injection burn on April 2, 2026. (NASA via AP)

In this photo provided by NASA, Commander Reid Wiseman looks at the Earth from a window aboard the Orion spacecraft Integrity during the Artemis II mission en route to the moon on Thursday, April 2, 2026. (NASA via AP)

This photo provided by NASA shows the Earth seen from a window on the Orion spacecraft Integrity during the Artemis II mission en route to the moon on Friday, April 3, 2026. (NASA via AP)

This image provided by NASA, astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft’s main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels towards the Moon on Thursday, April 2, 2026. (NASA via AP)

This image provided by NASA shows the Orion spacecraft with the Moon in the distance, as captured by a camera on the tip of one of its solar array wings, April 3, 2026. (NASA via AP)

This photo provided by NASA shows the Earth seen from a window on the Orion spacecraft Integrity during the Artemis II mission, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (NASA via AP)

This image provided by NASA shows the moon from a photo taken by The Artemis II crew on day 4 of their journey to the Moon on Saturday, April 4, 2026. (NASA via AP)

It’s primarily because the stars are pretty dim, and camera settings are keeping them at bay. To capture them, the cameras of the Artemis crew would need to have a higher shutter speed and low-light sensitivity. 

Another reason? The crew isn’t trying to take photos of the stars. 

In addition to unseen parts of the backside of the moon, NASA officials........

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