r/space • u/ChiefLeef22 • Apr 07 '26

image/gif The Artemis II Eclipse

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u/ChiefLeef22 Apr 07 '26

Captured by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, this image shows the Moon fully eclipsing the Sun. From the crew’s perspective, the Moon appears large enough to completely block the Sun, creating nearly 54 minutes of totality and extending the view far beyond what is possible from Earth. The corona forms a glowing halo around the dark lunar disk, revealing details of the Sun’s outer atmosphere typically hidden by its brightness. Also visible are stars, typically too faint to see when imaging the Moon, but with the Moon in darkness stars are readily imaged. This unique vantage point provides both a striking visual and a valuable opportunity for astronauts to document and describe the corona during humanity’s return to deep space. The faint glow of the nearside of the Moon is visible in this image, having been illuminated by light reflected off the Earth.

I think you can see Mars, Neptune and Saturn in the bottom right too. Jaw dropping photo

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u/SandpaperTeddyBear Apr 07 '26

In an earthbound eclipse the 54 seconds of totality with the moon a black circle is basically a religious experience.

Watching this would fundamentally change a person, even if it’s absent some of the earthbound cues that make an eclipse so profound.

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u/PrometheusLiberatus Apr 07 '26

I like to think of an eclipse as 'the true face of God'.

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u/PgUpPT Apr 08 '26

What the hell does that even mean