New Artemis II moon image includes part of the moon never before observed by human eyes

Awe-inspiring new photos captured by the Artemis II astronauts showcase the moon and the interior of the Orion spacecraft, offering a glimpse into their lives in space as they close in on another historic milestone.

One image highlighting the moon even captured a portion of the Orientale basin, which marks a first for human eyes, according to NASA. Only robotic imagers have witnessed this lunar region. The shadowed crater, which is 600 miles (965 kilometers) wide, represents a key transition region between the near and far sides of the moon.

NASA astronaut Christina Koch said the crew’s first views of the lunar far side, which permanently faces away from Earth and has rarely been seen, have been “absolutely spectacular.”