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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Hello World
NASA ^ | 4 Oct, 2026 | Image Credit: NASA, Reid Wiseman, Artemis II

Posted on 04/04/2026 11:11:53 AM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: From pole to pole our fair planet is captured in this snapshot from space, an evocative image from a window of the Orion spacecraft Integrity. From the spacecraft's perspective the Sun is moving behind Earth's bright limb along the lower right. Africa and the Iberian peninsula are in view on the pale blue planet's surface, while aurorae crown Earth's south and north poles at top right and bottom left. Commander Reid Wiseman took the historic picture on Artemis II mission flight day 2 (April 2), after the completion of the planned translunar injection burn. That burn boosted the spacecraft out of Earth orbit, sending Integrity and crew on a trajectory that will take them around the Moon and back again. That's a journey humans last made over 50 years ago. (Editor's note: Venus is photobombing Wiseman's historic pic. Currently appearing in our western skies after sunset, the inner planet is in the frame below and right of Earth's bright limb, immersed in a faint band of zodiacal light.)


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
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To: jmcenanly

“this photo was taken by Moonlight”

Hence the severe pixelization and necessary high contrast enhancement.


21 posted on 04/04/2026 6:52:05 PM PDT by Paladin2 (YMMV)
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To: MtnClimber

That is not the earth.
Where is all the rest of the land.
The image was probably lifted from Star Trek.


22 posted on 04/05/2026 10:37:53 AM PDT by minnesota_bound (Making money now. Still want much more.)
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