The Moon we see is not the same Moon you see from Earth, astronauts said.
The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission saw the Moon up close for the first time in 50 years, revealing details that are not visible from Earth. The astronauts shared their emotions and scientific observations.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing Space.com.
Also read: NASA’s lunar mission faces initial challenges: what we know
“It’s phenomenal. The Moon we see is not the same Moon you see from Earth,” said Christina Koch, a mission specialist and the first woman to fly to the Moon.
Mission commander Reid Wiseman, who previously worked on the International Space Station, also expressed his excitement. Together with Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen, they became the first people in over half a century to see the Moon from such a close distance.
The crew transmitted not only their emotions back to Earth but also detailed observations. The astronauts were able to discern the craters Tycho, Copernicus, and Rayner, as well as large basalt plains known as “maria.”
For a better view, they even turned off the lights in the Orion spacecraft cabin.
Particular interest was sparked by the Eastern Basin—a massive crater on the far side of the Moon.
“We can see the Eastern Basin even with the naked eye. The Moon is so bright,” Wiseman noted.
Photo: Eastern Basin on the right edge of the lunar disk. Image captured by the NASA crew (screenshot from x.com/NASA)
Koch also pointed out the terminator line—the boundary between light and shadow that marks the transition from lunar day to night.
Initially, the crew could not discern it due to the brightness of the surface, but later the relief along this boundary became noticeable and impressed the astronauts with its detail.
NASA scientists working with the Artemis II crew noted the high quality of observations and the emotional uplift of the astronauts.
“You can hear the excitement in their voices. They were just ecstatic looking at the Moon,” they remarked.
What we know about the Artemis II mission
In the night of April 2, NASA successfully launched the Artemis II mission—the first crewed flight to the Moon in over 50 years. The rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft took off from Florida, marking the beginning of an eight-day orbit around the Earth’s satellite followed by a return.
The crew consists of four professionals who are collecting data on the geology and topography of the Moon during the flight.
In addition to their primary tasks, the astronauts received a unique opportunity to observe a total solar eclipse, which is not visible from any point on Earth.
One of the key aspects of the mission is the potential to break the record for the farthest distance a human has traveled from Earth. Currently, the record belongs to the crew of Apollo 13, which in April 1970 reached a distance of 400,171 km.
NASA specialists predict that Orion may surpass this achievement, but the final figures will depend on the trajectory and timing of maneuvers.
Unlike the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s, NASA is providing a live broadcast of the flight, allowing observers to witness most of the crew’s actions in real time. Cameras above the astronauts’ heads show them monitoring screens, using mobile phones, and operating buttons on panels.
On April 4, NASA showcased stunning photos of Earth.
