The crew of Artemis II have released a series of stunning photos of Earth while travelling toward the Moon. But after seeing the images, many people online started asking the same question.
The four astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — launched aboard the Orion spacecraft for a 10-day mission around the Moon.
During the journey, the crew captured several photos of Earth from space. One of the images recreates the famous The Blue Marble, the iconic photo taken by the Apollo 17 astronauts in 1972.
The original photo was taken by astronaut Harrison Schmitt and became one of the most widely shared images of Earth ever created.
However, when NASA posted the new Artemis II image online, some viewers noticed something strange. Many people said the planet looked less bright and less vivid compared to the famous 1972 photo.
Some social media users questioned why a photo taken more than 50 years ago looked sharper than one captured with modern technology. Others even wondered if climate change had somehow changed the planet’s appearance.
But experts quickly explained the reason. The new image shows the darker side of Earth, which is lit mainly by the Moon rather than the Sun. This lighting makes the photo appear dimmer.
Camera technology also plays a role. The Apollo astronauts used film cameras that naturally boosted colour and contrast, while modern digital cameras use colour correction and calibration, which can make images look more natural but less dramatic.
In simple terms, Earth has not changed — only the lighting and camera technology have. And according to NASA, the most important message from the image remains the same: our planet still looks incredible from space.
