Blue Ghost lander captures first-ever high-definition images of sunset on the Moon

NASA, Firefly Aerospace Share Stunning High-Definition Moon Sunset Images. (Image: Firefly Aerospace)

Watching the sunset is a beautiful sight on Earth. But now, for the first time, a sunset on the Moon has been captured in stunning detail. NASA and Firefly Aerospace released high-definition images of the lunar sunset on Tuesday, just before the Blue Ghost lander stopped functioning over the weekend.

Moon’s Horizon Glow Captured in Striking Images
Firefly Aerospace shared the images on X, showing close-up shots of the Moon’s surface. One picture displayed the Sun setting on the lunar horizon. Another captured a distant view of Earth, while a third featured Venus shining in the dark sky.

A post from Firefly read, "Sunsets hit differently on the Moon! More images below of the horizon glow that comes to life just above the Moon's surface as the sun goes down. This milestone embodies all the achievements from this historic Firefly mission. Thank you #BlueGhost for the final goodbye. Until next time! #BGM1."

Sunsets hit differently on the Moon! More images below of the horizon glow that comes to life just above the Moons surface as the sun goes down. This milestone embodies all the achievements from this historic Firefly mission. Thank you #BlueGhost for the final goodbye. Until pic.twitter.com/qfmETBIVDT
Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly_Space) March 18, 2025

Earlier, Blue Ghost also captured high-definition images of a lunar sunrise. NASA shared one of these images, showing the Moon’s rugged surface and deep craters with sunlight streaming in from the distance.

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, and we're feeling good. @Firefly_Space's Blue Ghost lander witnessed lunar sunrisethe start of a new day on the Moon and two weeks of activities, including a lunar eclipse (from the Moon's perspective) and lunar sunset. Let's go! pic.twitter.com/fNbgv9FuDo NASA (@NASA) March 3, 2025

Blue Ghost’s Journey and Mission Goals
The Blue Ghost lander launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 15 January. It touched down on the Moon’s surface in Mare Crisium at 3:34 am US Eastern Time (0834 GMT) on 2 March.

Nicknamed "Ghost Riders in the Sky," the mission is part of NASA’s efforts to cut costs and support the Artemis programme, which aims to send astronauts back to the Moon.

During its journey, Blue Ghost spent 25 days in Earth’s orbit, four days travelling to the Moon, and 16 days in lunar orbit. After landing, it operated 10 NASA payloads for a full lunar day, equivalent to 14 Earth days. The mission focused on scientific experiments, including sample collection, X-ray imaging, lunar drilling, and dust mitigation. Scientists expect the data collected to aid future Moon exploration.