Weeks before the Artemis 2 launch, astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy had a bold idea: what if the Artemis 2 astronauts could photograph the moon the way he does? He reached out to the mission’s commander, NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, hoping for a response. To his surprise, Wiseman was excited about the idea.
The Artemis 2 mission, which launched on April 1, marked a thrilling journey for four astronauts circling the far side of the moon. Their photos captured striking views of the lunar landscape, with crew member Christina Koch calling it “the most ominous thing I’ve ever loved.”
McCarthy is known for combining numerous photos of the moon to reveal details that aren’t visible to the naked eye. His artistic process uses lunar spectroscopy, allowing for vibrant landscapes that look almost painted. He said, “I want to show you the moon as if you had cyborg eyes,” enhancing the natural colors lurking beneath the surface.
“The color is naturally there, just much more subtle to your eyes,” McCarthy explained. He believes that while you can see some colors through telescopes or binoculars, his approach reveals hidden details. For the collaboration with Wiseman, McCarthy aimed to see if similar colorful results could be obtained from the far side of the moon.
Data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has provided some color data, but it lacks the quality McCarthy desired. To achieve impressive results, McCarthy and NASA’s lunar photography team devised a plan for Wiseman to capture bursts of images during their flyby, ensuring different exposures and angles were included.
Stacking images is where McCarthy’s magic happens. This technique enhances subtle color variations, creating vivid images filled with practical geological information. For instance, titanium-rich basalts show a bluish tint, while iron-rich areas appear brown or red.
“Most importantly, by stacking, we reduce noise, enhancing the image quality,” McCarthy noted, emphasizing the importance of a good signal-to-noise ratio in astrophotography.
Unlike previous planetary photo collections, Wiseman’s images had far superior quality, partly due to the lack of a lunar atmosphere. McCarthy observed that capturing images on Earth typically required hundreds of shots to pull out color, whereas Wiseman’s shots made the process more efficient. “With the lunar images, I was able to use just 10 to 15 exposures,” he said.
Since the mission’s splashdown, NASA has released over 12,000 images from the astronauts, creating endless possibilities for McCarthy’s edits. He’s just begun to explore the potential of this rich dataset and plans to unveil more imagery soon.
As interest in lunar exploration grows, it’s fascinating to see how modern technology and artistry come together. With each snapshot, we reveal not just the moon’s surface, but also its story—one filled with minerals and history. This collaboration between a photographer and astronauts enriches our understanding of what lies beyond our planet and continues to ignite curiosity about our universe.
