South Downs Planetarium
& Science Center

“Hello Earth”

This remarkable and stunningly beautiful image of the Earth was taken by Reid Wiseman, Commander of the Artemis II mission, through the window of the Orion spacecraft as it headed off towards the Moon on 2nd April 2026 after the translunar injection (TLI) burn. The Earth is almost upside down in this view, with southern Spain and the Strait of Gibralter at the extreme lower left, the reddish Sahara Desert very clear (centre left) and the Atlantic Ocean covering much of the image.

What we are looking at here is the night-side of the Earth illuminated by reflected light from the Moon. There are two green auroral ovals visible (top right and bottom left)

The Sun is just hidden (eclipsed) behind the lower right-hand edge of the Earth and one can see the faint triangular glow of the Zodiacal Light (caused by sunlight scattering off interplanetary dust) at the 5 o’clock position, and extending out to the bright planet Venus.

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