Artemis II image archive
art002e009281 (April 6, 2026) – The Artemis II crew captures a portion of the Moon coming into view along the...
art002e009281 (April 6, 2026) – The Artemis II crew captures a portion of the Moon coming into view along the terminator – the boundary between lunar day and night – where low-angle sunlight casts long, dramatic shadows across the surface. This grazing light accentuates the Moon’...
- Date
- Apr 7, 2026
- Mission
- Artemis II
- Archive ID
- amf-art002e009281
art002e009281 (April 6, 2026) – The Artemis II crew captures a portion of the Moon coming into view along the terminator – the boundary between lunar day and night – where low-angle sunlight casts long, dramatic shadows across the surface. This grazing light accentuates the Moon’s rugged topography, revealing craters, ridges, and basin structures in striking detail. Features along the terminator such as Jule Crater, Birkhoff Crater, Stebbins Crater, and surrounding highlands stand out. From this perspective, the interplay of light and shadow highlights the complexity of the lunar surface in ways not visible under full illumination. The image was captured about three hours into the crew’s lunar observation period, as they flew around the far side of the Moon on the sixth day of the mission.
More Images From This Period
USS John P. Murtha approaches NASA's Orion spacecraft carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist...
NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot is assisted off the flight deck after arriving aboard USS John P. Murtha...
NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist is assisted off the flight deck after arriving aboard USS John P....
Downloads
Source
Image and source material are credited to the official mission archive linked below.
View on NASA.gov