NASA spokesperson Lauren Low told PolitiFact that one of the reasons Earth appears duller is because the new photo was taken at night, with only moonlight lighting the planet. The 1972 photo was taken in direct sunlight. The two images were also processed differently, she said.

Over the past eight days, the world has watched four intrepid explorers leave Earth, fly around the Moon, and make spaceflight history. The moments of reverence, camaraderie, and bravery we’ve witnessed since the launch of NASA’s Artemis 2 mission have done wonders for my faith in humanity, but sadly, all good things must come to an end.

The thunderous vibration will likely take place between 5 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. Pacific Time, the USGS said.

The realizations on social media align with what researchers have long known about Earth's composition.

Live coverage of Artemis 2's splashdown begins this evening as four astronauts return from their historic 10-day mission around the moon.

Artemis II astronauts expressed awe on Saturday over their record-setting lunar flyby mission, urging unity on Earth after witnessing the planet's isolation like a "lifeboat" in space."Artemis II

The four crew of Artemis II returned to Earth on Friday with a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean to compete their 10-day mission that launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 1.

A 48-foot asteroid will pass Earth on April 12, 2026, at a safe distance of 4 million miles, posing no threat while offering insights for space research.