Artemis II Crew Moon Photo Annotations
NASA released annotated Moon photos from the Artemis II mission, detailing faint impact flashes observed by the crew during their lunar flyby in April 2026.
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover, alongside CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, identified five faint impact flashes on the Moon’s surface while aboard the Orion spacecraft. The flashes appeared as small bursts of light during their 46,000-mile distant observation. These events occur when rocky fragments collide with the lunar surface, creating visible bursts despite the distance. The crew’s real-time observations were recorded for scientific analysis.
During their eight-day journey from April 1 to April 10, 2026, the Artemis II crew conducted a lunar flyby, capturing high-resolution imagery and scientific data. The mission marked the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo 17 in 1972, providing a critical opportunity for modern lunar science. Orion’s trajectory allowed for detailed observations of the Moon’s surface and its dynamic environment.
The full lunar science dataset from Artemis II, including crew observations and imagery, has been made publicly available. Researchers and the public can now access raw and processed data for independent study and analysis. This transparency aims to advance global understanding of lunar phenomena and support future missions.
NASA has also released crew audio recordings alongside the imagery, offering additional context to the visual observations. These recordings document the astronauts’ real-time reactions and technical discussions during the flyby. The combined dataset is intended to enhance collaborative research efforts across the scientific community.