The astronauts will have medical checks and will be reunited with their families.

One photo of Earth, taken Thursday by Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman from the Orion window, shows the planet backlit, with auroras visible at the top right and bottom left, Lakiesha Hawkins, deputy director for NASA’s Artemis program, said Friday during a news conference.

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

The four astronauts on the ship are returning back to Earth following a landmark 10‑day journey around the Moon.

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.

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.

Artemis II crew returns to Earth following historic mission; Phoenix Police sergeant whose off-duty conduct sparked controversy placed on administrative leave; and more - here's a look at your top

Scientists have long known that volcanic island arcs contain relatively high concentrations of gold, but the reason isn’t clear. A new study focusing on glasses near the Kermadec Island Arc found that melting occurred at high enough temperatures to allow sulfur bonds to release metals into the magma.