This is the second week of Moon Joy June, and the prompt is “Moon.” If you’re looking for some inspiration, we have a treat for you: four new and previously unseen images from our Artemis II mission!

These images were captured on April 6, 2026, when the four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft conducted the lunar flyby portion of their ten-day journey.

If you’re feeling inspired to make some art dedicated to our celestial neighbor, you can share your creations to the Artemis Art Show topic!

This photo of the Moon was captured by the Artemis II crew aboard the Orion spacecraft a few hours before the lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. During the flyby, the crew captured critical science observations as they traveled around the far side of the Moon, traveling farther than any humans ever before. The Moon resembles a gray cratered orb in the distance, standing out against the blackness of space. Credit: NASA

The Moon appears half-illuminated in this photo captured by the Artemis II crew on April 6, 2026. The terminator — the difference between light and darkness — provides a stark contrast and even greater perspective of the Moon's rocky, uneven, and otherworldly surface features. The near side of the Moon, which is what we can see from Earth, appears in the dark gray regions at the top of this image. The Moon stands out against the blackness of space around it. Credit: NASA

The Artemis II crew was tasked with capturing many key features visible in this image of the Moon, captured on April 6, 2026. The terminator, or the difference in light and darkness, is visible on the top left. The large dark gray area toward center-left is Orientale Basin, while the characteristic dark patches of ancient lava flow we see on the near side are visible on the right half of this image. The Moon stands out against the blackness of space around it. Credit: NASA

This photo of a crescent Moon and crescent Earth was taken by an Artemis II astronaut during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. This image captures one of the final moments before their loss of signal with Earth as the Orion spacecraft flew around the far side of the Moon, reemerging and regaining contact approximately 40 minutes later. Earth can be seen peeking behind the Moon in the distance. The illuminated regions of the Moon and Earth stand out against the blackness of space, while the rest are swallowed in shadow. Credit: NASA

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