Artemis II and the Legacy of Space Photography

While many of us were out last weekend capturing the bluebonnets around Lake Travis, a small group of photographers was working with a much more dramatic backdrop of a view from above. As of today, April 6, 2026, the four-person crew of Artemis II—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—is currently swinging around the far side of the moon, capturing the most breathtaking images of our home planet and the lunar surface in over half a century.

Whether you’re shooting with a $10,000 mirrorless setup or, like Commander Wiseman, using a specialized tablet to snap a quick frame through a window, these images remind us of the power of photography to unite and inspire.

As the Artemis II crew begins their journey back to Earth for a scheduled splashdown on April 10, keep an eye on the NASA gallery. We may not have a lunar flyby scheduled for our next club outing, but there’s plenty of inspiration to be found in the way these astronauts find beauty in the “big picture.”

New Heights: The Artemis II Gallery

The mission has already produced some instant classics. Early in the flight, Commander Reid Wiseman captured a wide shot of Earth through the Orion capsule’s window that left the crew speechless. Unlike the grainy transmissions of the past, these modern images show the planet in stunning detail, featuring:

• Vibrant Auroras: Wiseman’s photos captured a glowing green aurora snaking across the northern hemisphere.

• The Orientale Basin: Just yesterday, the crew shared a full-view image of the Moon’s Orientale Basin—a massive impact feature on the lunar edge that has never been seen quite like this by human eyes.

• The “Dirty Window” Shot: In a moment every photographer can relate to, Wiseman jokingly radioed Mission Control for window-cleaning tips because the crew had spent so much time pressing their faces against the glass to look at Earth that they’d smudged the view!

The Giants Whose Shoulders We Stand On

As we marvel at these high-resolution digital files, it’s worth looking back at the analog pioneers who first turned their lenses toward the heavens.

1. Bill Anders and “Earthrise” (Apollo 8, 1968)

Perhaps the most famous photograph ever taken, Earthrise wasn’t actually on the mission’s “to-do” list. As Apollo 8 orbited the Moon on Christmas Eve, William Anders spotted the blue marble emerging from behind the lunar horizon. He famously called out for a roll of color film, capturing the shot on a highly modified Hasselblad 500 EL. That single frame changed our perspective of Earth forever, sparking the modern environmental movement.

2. Harrison “Jack” Schmitt and “The Blue Marble” (Apollo 17, 1972)

During the final Apollo mission, Harrison Schmitt took the iconic “Blue Marble” photo from about 18,000 miles away. Because the sun was directly behind the spacecraft, the Earth appeared as a perfectly illuminated sphere. It remains one of the most reproduced images in human history.

3. Jim Lovell’s Legacy

A poignant moment occurred during this Artemis mission when the crew received a pre-recorded message from the late Jim Lovell (Apollo 8 and 13), who passed away in 2025. He welcomed them to his “old neighborhood,” passing the torch to a new generation of explorers.

Interested in seeing the full Artemis II gallery? Head over to NASA’s official mission page for the latest high-res downloads.