Earthset, a solar eclipse: Nasa releases first images from Moon fly-by

Nasa has released the first photographs taken by the Artemis II astronauts during their fly-by of the Moon.

The first image shows an ‘Earthset’ as the astronauts glimpsed our home planet peaking out beyond a cratered lunar landscape.

The second photograph shows the spectacular solar eclipse to which the astronauts were treated as the Moon blocked out the Sun.

Nasa did not say which of the astronauts, who are on their return journey to Earth after the fly-by, took the photographs.

The astronauts took the photos during a six-hour flyby, including a period of radio silence when their capsule was behind the Moon.

Nasa said in its description that the Earthrise photograph was captured through the Orion spacecraft window at 18:41Eastern Daylight Time (2341BST) on Monday.

“The dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime. On Earth’s day side, swirling clouds are visible over the Australia and Oceania region,” Nasa said.

“In the foreground, Ohm crater has terraced edges and a flat floor interrupted by central peaks. Central peaks form in complex craters when the lunar surface, liquefied on impact, splashes upwards during the crater’s formation.’

The solar eclipse which the astronauts witnessed, with the Moon blocking out the Sun
Nasa called this picture of the lunar surface ‘Ready for a close up’