NASA's Orion Snaps Stunning 'Earthset' and Solar Eclipse from the Moon

NASA has released the first images from the Orion spacecraft's historic fly-by of the Moon. The pictures capture two rare cosmic events from a unique vantage point. One image shows an "Earthset." As Orion passed behind the Moon, our planet appeared to sink below the lunar horizon. This is the opposite of an Earthrise, which Apollo astronauts famously photographed. The second image reveals a solar eclipse from deep space. The Moon moved directly between the Sun and the spacecraft, blocking the star's light. From Orion's position, the Sun appeared as a fiery ring behind the dark disk of the Moon. The uncrewed Orion capsule completed its closest approach to the lunar surface on Monday. It came within 130 kilometers of the Moon. These photos are the first of many expected during the 25-day Artemis I mission. The mission is a critical test before NASA sends astronauts back to the Moon.