A special Moon snap

It might be considered cheating, as this picture was taken over two Moons ago, but this Moonrise seen from the International Space Station deserves extra attention - and so, we are submitting this image for NASA’s Moon Snap.

Taken by ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti from orbit during her Minerva mission, it is a sight rarely seen: Earth’s natural satellite appearing over the horizon above the always-distinctive Nile delta at night -- taken from 400 km above our planet. The brighter dot in the middle is the planet Venus.

The Moon is the only place that has been seen by every human being on our planet, but only around 600 astronauts have seen the Moon from Earth orbit. NASA’s Moon snap project is inviting people all over the world to share their Moon art to be featured during the launch coverage of the Artemis I mission, the first human-rated spacecraft to fly to the Moon in over fifty years.

This image does not need to be featured on the day of the Artemis launch; ESA’s European Service Module will be featured heavily already as the powerhouse that will drive the Orion spacecraft to the Moon and back. Samantha is circling our planet around 400 km above, but Orion will travel over 1250 times farther afield, more than half a million kilometres from its launchpad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA.

Join the celebrations as humankind explores farther and submit your art for NASA Moon snap, and watch the Artemis I launch, the first launch opportunity is on 29 August 2022. Follow Samantha and her Minerva mission for more amazing pictures from space.