Astronomy Picture of the Day - Earthset

NASA ^ | 8 Apr, 2026 | Image Credit: NASA Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II)

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: And to all of you down there on Earth and around Earth, we love you, from the Moon. We will see you on the other side, said Artemis II pilot Victor Glover on April 6th at 6:44pm ET as 8.3 billion minus four people and one Earth set below the Moon's horizon. The Orion spacecraft, Integrity, then traveled behind the Moon as part of its seven-hour lunar flyby. The crew characterized never-before-seen regions of the far side of the Moon, which is puzzlingly less volcanically active than the near side. New observations of crater peaks, floors, terraces, and rings preserved on the lunar surface will help piece together the impact history of the Solar System. Among many other surface characterizations, the crew observed one of the Moon's best-preserved basins, the Orientale basin, and identified two new craters. As Earth rose above the Moon’s horizon and Integrity began its return home, Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch powerfully summarized humanity’s grander mission: ...we will always choose Earth. We will always choose each other.

[MtnClimber]

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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

[MtnClimber]

[MtnClimber]

Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

[CopperTop]

Their view is prettier.. d;^)

[Telepathic Intruder]

The earth’s surface reflects almost 3 times as much sunlight as the moon does, making the moon look dark by comparison. But we never see a direct comparison between the earth and moon, except from space.

[alexander_busek]

The earth’s surface reflects almost 3 times as much sunlight as the moon does, making the moon look dark by comparison. But we never see a direct comparison between the earth and moon, except from space.

Per unit of area, that is approx. true.

But I suspect that the luminosities of the Earth and Moon in this image were, in any event, corrected. I namely highly doubt that the part of the Moon visible in this image was in sunlight at that time.

Regards,

[No name given]

Wow.

[Carry_Okie]

How can you justify mooning everybody on this forum?

[PROCON]

Fake AI photo, everyone knows the earth is flat 😎

[Reily]

yes its a circle

[Telepathic Intruder]

Like the earth, the sunlit part of the moon in this photo is near the top, which you are looking at. The brightness has not been corrected at all except to adjust the exposure so as not to overexpose the earth. Here are some pictures of the Earth-moon system as taken by the Cassini probe in 2013:



As you can see, the moon is quite dark when compared to the Earth.

[telescope115]

A beautiful picture! I’ve seen what is already released. Can’t wait for more. I hope they make it back safely.

[alexander_busek]

The brightness has not been corrected at all except to adjust the exposure so as not to overexpose the earth

My point exactly!

Regards,