Five Images, Six Decades: Capturing the Iconic “Earthrise” Photo

Sixty years ago, the Lunar Orbiter 1 captured a breathtaking sight: our planet "rising" above the lunar surface. On August 23, 1966, the spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral and began taking images of the moon. After collecting a couple hundred images, the orbiter met its end by crashing into the lunar surface. However, it wasn't the last time such a photograph would be taken.

The most iconic Earthrise photo was actually captured by astronaut William Anders during the Apollo 8 mission. This successful crewed spaceflight to the moon and back also marked the first time any human had set foot on our celestial neighbor. Nature photographer Galen Rowell described this image as "the most influential environmental photograph ever taken."

Fast-forwarding to the 21st century, in April 2008, the Selene (or Kaguya) lunar orbiter developed by JAXA took the first photo to capture the entire Earth, in full color and high definition. Then there's "Earthrise 2.0," a composite image taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) in 2009 that is still orbiting the moon today. This image is a combination of several black-and-white and color photos taken by two different cameras.

Recently, astronauts onboard the Artemis II mission were able to capture their own version of Earthrise on April 6, 2026, just a few minutes before they lost contact with Earth as they disappeared around the far side of the moon. The part of Earth visible in this image shows clouds swirling above Australia and Oceania.

Despite being captured six decades apart, the view of our planet from lunar orbit has retained its awe-inspiring impact. As researchers note, surges in solar activity can disrupt aircraft, but the majesty of Earthrise remains an enduring wonder.