NASA Astronaut Captures Earth Setting Behind the Moon Using iPhone

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:28:00 +0200

NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, commander of the Artemis II mission, posted an extraordinary video taken with an iPhone showing the Earth disappearing behind the Moon, an event known as 'Earthset.' The video was captured at 8x zoom through the docking hatch window of the spacecraft and is presented uncropped and unedited. Wiseman noted that the video provides a view comparable to the human eye. This marks the first time an 'Earthset' has been documented on video. While past lunar missions used high-end cameras like Hasselblads and Maurer Data Acquisition Cameras, the use of a smartphone highlights both technological advances and the practicality of modern devices in space exploration. Observers have compared this with SpaceX Starship videos, which offer live coverage of reentry and other spacecraft operations, but Wiseman's video emphasizes a unique human perspective from lunar orbit. The clip has generated attention for its combination of accessibility, stunning visuals, and the novelty