NASA is set to deliver a historic and visually stunning moment Monday as the Artemis II crew conducts a lunar flyby.
The mission will give astronauts a rare look at both the near and far sides of the Moon — including areas never before seen by humans with the naked eye.
Because sunlight angles on the Moon shift constantly, the exact viewing conditions weren’t known until after launch.
At 1:56 p.m., the crew is expected to make history — surpassing the distance record set during Apollo 13 mission.
Artemis II astronauts will travel approximately 252,760 miles from Earth, breaking the previous record by more than 4,000 miles.
One of the most dramatic moments comes in the evening. At 6:44 p.m. Central Time, communication between the spacecraft and mission control will temporarily drop as Orion passes behind the Moon — a planned blackout caused by lunar interference.
During that blackout, at around 7:00 p.m., the spacecraft will make its closest approach to the Moon — just 4,067 miles away — before reaching its farthest point from Earth moments later.
From that distance, astronauts say the Moon will appear around the size of a basketball held at arm’s length.
Communication is expected to be restored around 7:25 p.m., as Orion emerges from behind the Moon and re-establishes contact with Earth.
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Later in the evening, beginning at 8:35 p.m., the mission enters another visually remarkable phase, when the Moon will eclipse the Sun from the crew’s perspective — creating a rare celestial alignment that lasts until about 9:32 p.m.
The flyby observation period will wrap up around 9:20 p.m., with astronauts beginning to transmit images and data back to Earth.
NASA’s science teams will analyze the material overnight before conducting follow-up discussions with the crew the next day.
The Artemis II mission marks a major step forward in NASA’s return to deep space exploration, offering not only record-breaking achievements but also a new perspective on the Moon that could shape future missions.
Scientists say the flyby could reveal new insights—especially from the Moon’s far side.
“We don’t know what to expect,” one scientist said. “This is exploration, right?”
NASA teams are particularly interested in how the human eye will perceive subtle color variations on the lunar surface.
“Negative observations, not seeing something is science,” the scientist added.
NASA will begin live coverage of the flyby on Monday at 1 p.m. Eastern.