The Moon Flyby

NASA’s Artemis II crew has sent back striking new images of the Moon during their historic flyby, offering a rare look at regions that humans have never set eyes on before.

The photos were taken during a seven-hour journey around the far side of the Moon on April 6 and were later beamed down to Earth. Among the highlights is a stunning solar eclipse seen from space, which really stands out as one of the mission’s most remarkable moments. These images not only mark a return to lunar exploration but also open up a wealth of scientific opportunities.

Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen set about capturing thousands of images using multiple cameras. NASA has already put out several of these photos, with many more expected to come through as the crew continues heading back toward Earth.

According to Dr. Nicky Fox at NASA, the astronauts have brought back images that not only look breathtaking but will also feed into future research and inspire generations to come.

During the flyby, the crew carefully looked over the Moon’s surface, documenting craters, lava flows, and fractures. They also picked up on subtle differences in color and brightness, while observing both earthrise and earthset. One particularly rare moment came when they captured views of the Sun’s corona during a solar eclipse. In addition, they picked out six flashes believed to be meteoroid impacts on the Moon’s dark side.

Scientists have already started going through the incoming data, working to pin down the timing and location of these events. They are also matching up the findings with observations made by amateur astronomers. All of this information will add to our understanding of lunar geology and help NASA plan out future missions, including long-term goals that eventually lead to human missions to Mars.

Jacob Bleacher, NASA’s chief exploration scientist, said that while the astronauts were describing what they saw, their accounts didn’t always line up with what scientists initially saw on their screens. Now, as higher-quality images come in, researchers can finally take in the full scope of what the crew experienced and better appreciate the scientific value of the mission.

NASA has made available the official images through several online platforms, allowing the public to check them out and explore the mission in detail.

Looking ahead, the agency is gearing up for the crew’s return, scheduled for April 10 off the coast of San Diego. Recovery teams will move in to safely assist the astronauts and bring them back aboard the USS John P. Murtha.

As part of a broader push in space exploration, NASA plans to build on this mission by sending astronauts on increasingly complex journeys. These efforts aim to lay the groundwork for a sustained human presence on the Moon and eventually lead up to crewed missions to Mars.

Phrasal Verb Vocabulary Guide

1. send back

Definition: to return or transmit something to where it came from

Example: The spacecraft sent back high-resolution images of the Moon.

Question: What kind of information would a scientist want to send back from space?

2. set eyes on

Definition: to see something, often for the first time

Example: No human had ever set eyes on that part of the lunar surface before.

Question: What is something you would love to set eyes on one day?

3. beam down

Definition: to transmit signals or data electronically (especially from space)

Example: The astronauts beamed down images to mission control.

Question: What kinds of data do satellites usually beam down to Earth?

4. stand out

Definition: to be clearly noticeable or impressive

Example: The eclipse photo really stood out among the others.

Question: What qualities help a student stand out in class?

5. open up

Definition: to create new opportunities or possibilities

Example: The mission will open up new areas of research.

Question: How can learning English open up new opportunities?

6. set about

Definition: to begin doing something seriously

Example: The crew set about documenting the Moon’s surface.

Question: When do you usually set about starting a big task?

7. put out

Definition: to release or publish something

Example: NASA put out several images for the public.

Question: Why do companies often put out new products regularly?

8. come through

Definition: to arrive or be received (information, results, etc.)

Example: More data will come through in the next few days.

Question: Have you ever waited for important news to come through?

9. feed into

Definition: to contribute to or influence something

Example: The data will feed into future space missions.

Question: How does education feed into career success?

10. look over

Definition: to examine something carefully

Example: Scientists looked over the images in detail.

Question: Do you usually look over your work before submitting it?