Artemis II crew nearing far side of the moon

This evening, four astronauts will conduct a flyby of the moon, with their closest approach occurring about 6:45 (Eastern Time). They will be traveling farther from Earth than any human beings ever have. The mission is the first since the Apollo landings ended in 1972. A crewmember has sent back a photograph of the entire Earth; the perspective on humanity being a family whose home is Earth recalls similarly profound moments from the first lunar flyby in human history, Apollo 8. Artemis ii has captivated many around the world who are closely watching and celebrating the event on social media. There is a deep reason why so many are fascinated.