Cosmic Perspectives from Amid the Stars:
Astronomy Blog

Artemis II brought humanity farther than it's ever traveled before. Along the way they collected a vast array of stunning imagery of not only the Moon, but Earth and space as well. Join me as we explore my favorite of the best images from the Artemis II mission and break down any interesting science behind the photos.

Today, March 24, 2026, NASA announced Space Reactor-1 Freedom, a nuclear-powered spacecraft that’s planned to travel to Mars as early as 2028. Freedom would be the first nuclear-propelled craft to venture beyond Earth orbit and it could be the future of exploration in our Solar System. Traveling to planets beyond our own is a tricky prospect. There’s a reason that humans have never traveled further from Earth than the Moon. But Mars is on the top of our list for places to se

Social media is buzzing with news of a so-called “planet parade” on Saturday, February 28. But before you get your hopes up, let’s separate the astronomical reality from the viral hype.

Artemis II is set to bring humans back to the Moon no earlier than February 8. We might be days away from this milestone in space exploration and travel. But what’s the purpose of Artemis II and what’s its mission? Artemis II, the second mission of the Artemis Program, is the first crewed mission to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. While Artemis II won’t be landing on the Moon, it is a pivotal step in our return to the Moon’s surface as well as our travels beyond.

The countdown has begun. Part of the groundbreaking Artemis Program, the Artemis II launch is nearly upon us. No later than April of 2026 will Artemis II launch with the first crewed trip to the Moon in over 50 years. Apollo 17 marked the end of an era in 1972 when it departed from the Moon with the final crew to ever make the voyage. Since then, humans have never strayed farther from Earth than low Earth orbit aboard the International Space Station.