The Artemis II astronauts have captured Earth’s brilliant blue beauty as they zoom ever closer to the moon CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The Artemis II astronauts have captured our blue planet’s brilliant beauty as they zoom ever closer to the moon .

NASA’s Artemis II successfully launched on April 1, with its crew on a 10-day mission to circle the Moon. It’s the first crewed Artemis flight and a major step toward humanity returning to our little neighbor in the future.

Four astronauts lifted off before sunset Wednesday, starting a historic 10-day journey to fly by the moon and propel people farther into space than they have ever gone before. The Artemis II mission is scheduled to loop around the moon for the first time since the Apollo era.

NASA's Artemis II mission launched from Florida with 4 astronauts. Now the agency is sharing a stunning view of Earth before they head toward the moon.

The four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft are heading to the Moon after completing the critical engine burn that propels the capsule on its journey.

NASA approved a six-minute engine burn to send Artemis II out of Earth’s orbit. The pivotal move put the astronauts on a path humans haven’t traveled in half a century.

With NASA's flight tracker, you can follow along with the four astronauts of the Artemis II mission as they make their way toward the moon.

Translunar ignition came 25 hours after launch, setting three Americans and a Canadian on a course for a lunar fly-around on Monday.