Artemis II astronauts describe varied colors on lunar surface
Crew members aboard the Artemis II mission, which launched April 1, 2026, on NASA's Space Launch System, reported a range of hues on the lunar surface during their flyby. These observations are now recorded in a preliminary science document.
By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published . Updated .
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What happened
The Artemis II mission launched on April 1, 2026, atop NASA's Space Launch System. During an April flyby, the astronauts described yellow, green, brown, blue and beige shades across the Moon. A preliminary science document now records the mission's observations.
Why it matters
The preliminary findings put the crew's observations of the Moon's colors on the record.
Timeline
- Oct 11, 9:06 AM ET: Artemis II astronauts reported yellow, green, brown, blue and beige hues on the Moon during an April flyby.
- Oct 12, 10:20 AM ET: A preliminary science document on the Artemis II mission was published.
Coverage
- The Preliminary Lunar Science Report for Artemis II is out (phys.org)
- Artemis II crew describes yellow and green hues on the Moon’s surface (ua.news)
- 'Swamp-like colors' on the moon: New NASA report reveals strange sights from Artemis II mission — Space photo of the week (https://www.livescience.com/author/brandon-specktor)
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