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Moon Joy June: Lunar Inspo

Moon Joy June artists!

This is the second week of Moon Joy June, and the prompt is “Moon.” If you’re an artist looking for some inspiration, we have a treat for you: four new and previously unseen images from our Artemis II mission!

This photo of the Moon was captured by the Artemis II crew aboard the Orion spacecraft a few hours before the lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. During the flyby, the crew captured critical science observations as they traveled around the far side of the Moon, traveling farther than any humans ever before. The Moon resembles a gray cratered orb in the distance, standing out against the blackness of space. Credit: NASAALT

The Moon appears half-illuminated in this photo captured by the Artemis II crew on April 6, 2026. The terminator — the difference between light and darkness — provides a stark contrast and even greater perspective of the Moon's rocky, uneven, and otherworldly surface features. The near side of the Moon, which is what we can see from Earth, appears in the dark gray regions at the top of this image. The Moon stands out against the blackness of space around it. Credit: NASAALT

The Artemis II crew was tasked with capturing many key features visible in this image of the Moon, captured on April 6, 2026. The terminator, or the difference in light and darkness, is visible on the top left. The large dark gray area toward center-left is Orientale Basin, while the characteristic dark patches of ancient lava flow we see on the near side are visible on the right half of this image. The Moon stands out against the blackness of space around it. Credit: NASAALT

This photo of a crescent Moon and crescent Earth was taken by an Artemis II astronaut during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. This image captures one of the final moments before their loss of signal with Earth as the Orion spacecraft flew around the far side of the Moon, reemerging and regaining contact approximately 40 minutes later. Earth can be seen peeking behind the Moon in the distance. The illuminated regions of the Moon and Earth stand out against the blackness of space, while the rest are swallowed in shadow. Credit: NASAALT

All four of these images were captured on April 6, 2026, during flight day 6 of the mission, when the four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft conducted the lunar flyby of their ten-day journey. During the lunar flyby, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen captured photographs and collected scientific observations of the Moon in meticulous detail.

Moon Joy June: Launch Inspo

Moon Joy June artists! Looking for a little inspiration?

The prompt for this week is “Launch.” Here is a small collection of photos of the launch of the Artemis II mission, which took place on April 1, 2026. What followed was ten days of our Artemis astronauts circling the Moon, returning to Earth, and experiencing pure Moon joy all throughout.

A close-up image of the fiery blast from the solid rocket boosters of the Space Launch System rocket as the Artemis II mission launches on April 1, 2026, from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The glow of the blast stands out against the dark sky in the background. Credit: NASA/John KrausALT

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft blasts into the blue sky on April 1, 2026, from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The plumes of the blast trail behind the rocket as it shoots into the upper right corner of the image. Credit: NASA/Michael DeMockerALT

As the Artemis II rocket and spacecraft launch into the expanse of the blue sky, a fiery trail follows it. Plumes bloom where the rocket launched from Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA/Sam LottALT

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The ignition glows. The rocket launches between three lightning towers. The sky is blue in the background. Credit: NASA/Eric BordelonALT

Meet Our Dino-Sized Telescope!

An illustration of a T. rex facing left is at the top of this graphic. Below it is an illustrated model of the Roman observatory, showing that they’re about the same length. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image LabALT

This illustration shows the relative scale of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and a Tyrannosaurus rex. Roman is over 42 feet (12.7 meters) long — about the length of a T. rex — and over 14 feet (4.4 meters) wide when fully deployed. Roman also weighs around 18,000 pounds, or 8,000 kilograms (dry mass), which is the approximate mass of a T. rex as well.

Did you know NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is both roughly as long and as massive as a Tyrannosaurus rex? This observatory, which will move to the launch site at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida very soon, is over 42 feet (12.7 meters) long and weighs around 18,000 pounds (8,000 kilograms), not including the fuel. Let’s explore some of the components that bring Roman to T. rex proportions.

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Join Moon Joy June!

A graphic that depicts the Moon in bright purple and pink hues. Overlaid on the image are the following words in white letters: “Moon Joy June. (June 1-7, 2026) Week 1: Launch. (June 8-14, 2026) Week 2: Moon. (June 15-21, 2026) Week 3: Crew. (June 22-30, 2026) Week 4: Earth.” Credit: NASAALT

Are you in need of some serious Moon joy? Get ready for Moon Joy June.

NASA is hosting a month-long art challenge and we would love for you to participate! For every week of June, NASA will introduce a new prompt to inspire artists and creators of all kinds:

To share your Moon joy-inspired art on Tumblr, use the hashtag #ArtemisArtShow.

The sky is (not) the limit! We encourage all forms of art, including but not limited to: paintings, drawings, sculptures, dances, music, animations, nail art, latte foam art, poetry, fashion. Choose your favorite medium and share it with us!

Learn more about the challenge in our FAQ. Happy Moon Joy June to all who celebrate!