Our world as we now see it in relation to the moon

By Gazette Staff

April 7^th, 2026

BURLINGTON, ON

The Blue Marble is a photograph of Earth taken on December 7, 1972, by Harrison Schmitt aboard the Apollo 17 spacecraft on its way to the Moon.  Viewed from around 29,400 km (18,300 mi) from Earth’s surface, a cropped and rotated version has become one of the most reproduced images in history

When that picture of Earth was first published in 1972  it changed the way we see the planet.

The picture released yesterday by NASA  taken by astronauts aboard Artemis II shows part of the surface of the moon with Earth in the background is another huge step for mankind and science.

Hopefully, NASA will crop one of the pictures taken by Artemis II crew members.

All we have at the moment is a black and white photo that will change the way we see ourselves as part of a universe we are in the process of understanding.  The idea that we may at some point colonize the moon is daring and exciting.

The average distance between Earth and the Moon is approximately 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers). This distance, measured from center to center, is equivalent to about 30 Earth-sized planets fitting between them. The Moon is not always at the same distance, ranging from 225,623 miles (closest) to 252,088 miles (farthest).

Make a point of showing the pictures to your children.  They will have a vision and an understanding that we didn’t have.

That small crescent shape on the right is the earth as seen by the Artemis II crew as they were observing the moon. The space capsule they are traveling in is what appears in the lower left.