NEW YORK-(MaraviPost)-The Artemis II crew has shared stunning images of the Moon’s far side, captured during their historic lunar flyby on April 6, 2026.

The photos reveal striking details of craters, basins, and surface fractures, offering scientists a unique glimpse into the Moon’s geological evolution.

The images were taken by NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who flew around the Moon’s far side, marking the first human visit to this region since 1972.

The crew used three Nikon cameras to capture various features on the Moon’s surface, providing live descriptions of their observations to scientists at Johnson Space Center.

The far side of the Moon is remarkably different from its near side, with fewer lava flows and a thicker crust.

The crew documented impact craters, ancient lava flows, and surface fractures, shedding light on the Moon’s history.

One notable feature is the Orientale basin, a massive impact crater spanning 930 kilometers in diameter.

The astronauts also witnessed a rare solar eclipse, lasting nearly an hour, as the Moon passed between the Orion spacecraft and the Sun.

This allowed them to observe details in the Sun’s corona, typically hidden by its bright light.

Additionally, they reported flashes of light on the Moon’s dark surface, believed to be meteoroids striking at high speed.

These images will help scientists better understand the Moon’s geology and inform future exploration and science missions.

The Artemis II mission is a crucial step toward establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon and paving the way for crewed missions to Mars.