Welcome to this edition of The Intelligence Brief… This week, stunning new imagery and observations from NASA’s Artemis II mission are offering an unprecedented look at the Moon’s far side, providing fresh insights into one of humanity’s most enduring frontiers. In our analysis, we’ll be looking at 1) how the mission’s record-setting journey has delivered rare views once seen by only a handful of astronauts, 2) the surprising discoveries reported by the crew—including unusual colors, “snowy” crater features, and mysterious surface “squiggles,” 3) the detection of meteoroid impact flashes and other dynamic lunar phenomena observed in real time, and 4) why these findings, alongside thousands of newly captured images, could help reshape scientific understanding of the Moon while inspiring a new generation of exploration.
Quote of the Week
“At first, [the astronauts’] descriptions didn’t quite match what we were seeing on our screens.”
– Jacob Bleacher, NASA Chief Exploration Scientist
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Artemis II Images Offer an Unprecedented Look at the Moon
This week, Earthlings were treated to a rare look at the far side of the Moon, and other breathtaking vistas that only a few astronauts have ever witnessed firsthand.
The new images, sent back to Earth from Artemis II astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft, were obtained during part of a record-breaking journey around the Moon that carried humans farther from Earth than any have ever gone.
Like scenes from a movie, the new imagery depicts atmospheric, almost foreboding scenes of the Moon’s mysterious far side, as well as eclipses revealing the lunar horizon bathed in an otherworldly glow produced by distant sunlight.
Have a Look: You can see the latest Artemis II imagery here, and also read about several of the remarkable discoveries that the astronaut crew has helped make while still on their way back from their landmark lunar mission.
New Discoveries, and New Questions
However, the impressive new photography isn’t all that the Artemis team has achieved from observations made during their historic journey. Several unique observations have also been made during their time in space. These include:
Lunar “Squiggles”: Distinctive winding features on the lunar surface that the Artemis crew has described as “squiggles” have been observed.
Unusual Colors: The Artemis crew has also reported unusual coloration they have observed at times, which includes unexpected appearances of green, brown, and gray regions on the Moon’s surface, the cause of which remains undetermined. Commenting on these colorful areas, Joel Kerns, NASA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration, said “they’re seeing a lot of color on the moon” while speaking with CBS News, adding that they “could be an indication of minerals or changes in the surface structure on the moon.”
The Moon’s “Snowy” Craters: Astronaut Victor Glover also described observing craters, ridges, and other features that looked almost like they were dusted with snow, which stood out starkly against the otherwise barren lunar landscape. Whether these observations indicate the presence of lunar ice or something else remains to be seen.
Impact Flashes: Another of the more intriguing observations the Artemis team has made occurred during a rare solar eclipse viewed from the Moon, during which the crew witnessed several bright flashes. The source of these bright luminous transients was determined to be impact flashes of meteoroids striking the lunar surface.
A Moon Kiss Observed from Orbit: The crew also observed a unique crater basin known as the Orientale Basin on the far side of the Moon, which, partly due to the unique lighting conditions, appears to resemble a kiss. “The annular ring, which I think everybody describes as a pair of lips or a kiss on the far side of the moon, from here is very circular in nature,” said Mission Commander Reid Wiseman of this unique feature.
Lampshade Effect: Astronaut Christina Koch also said that the numerous tiny, but very bright, new craters lining the surface of the Moon resembled “a lampshade with tiny pinprick holes” with light shining through.
More Discoveries Yet to Come
Other imagery the crew obtained during their mission, calling back to Cold-War-era images obtained during NASA’s Apollo missions, reveals the “Earthrise” and “Earthsets” of each day as our planet appears partially obscured from behind the lunar horizon.
NASA Associate Administrator Dr. Nicky Fox with the space agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington said the images are “so exquisite and brimming with science, they will inspire generations to come.”
In short, along with the science experiments and engineering tasks NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen have undertaken during their several days in space, they have successfully captured thousands of images that have expanded NASA’s historic catalogues, and which are already providing new scientific insights into long-perplexing lunar mysteries.
That concludes this week’s installment of The Intelligence Brief. You can read past editions of our newsletter at our website, or if you found this installment online, don’t forget to subscribe and get future email editions from us here. Also, if you have a tip or other information you’d like to send along directly to me, you can email me at micah [@] thedebrief [dot] org, or reach me on X: @MicahHanks.
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