Firefly's Blue Ghost lander captures breathtaking image of Earth shadowing the moon

Blue Ghost Lander Sends Stunning Selfies from Space. (Image: Firefly Aerospace)

A spacecraft on its way to the moon has shared breathtaking photos from space. Among them is a unique selfie with Earth eclipsing the moon. The Blue Ghost lander, designed by Firefly Aerospace, is carrying science instruments for a NASA-backed mission.

A Journey to the Moon

Blue Ghost launched on 15 January from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. It spent weeks orbiting Earth before setting off towards the moon. The spacecraft snapped photos to test its cameras, capturing Earth and the moon together. One striking image shows the moon as a tiny white dot against Earth’s swirling clouds.

The lander filmed Earth passing in front of the moon, creating an eclipse. As Blue Ghost moved to the dark side of Earth, the planet turned into a glowing crescent. On 13 February, the spacecraft entered lunar orbit, aiming to land on 2 March. If successful, it will be the second private lander to reach the moon.

Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander captured an image of Earth, with the moon appearing as a tiny dot in the background. The spacecraft's reflective solar panels mirror Earth's image in the foreground. (Image: Firefly Aerospace)

Exploring a Lunar Crater

Blue Ghost’s landing site is Mare Crisium, a vast impact crater. It formed billions of years ago when lava flooded the lunar surface. The crater appears as a dark circle on the moon, visible from Earth. Stargazers can spot it with the naked eye or a telescope.

Before landing, the spacecraft filmed the moon’s far side. From its low altitude, it captured craters, hills, and valleys in detail. These images offer a rare view of the lunar surface.

Earth rise, Earth set, repeat! Blue Ghost's third and final lunar orbit maneuver is complete! Early this morning, our #GhostRiders performed a 16-second burn with our RCS thrusters to enter a near-circular low lunar orbit. Up next, we'll perform a 19-second Descent Orbit pic.twitter.com/B8ptv1D0yv

Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly_Space) February 24, 2025

Mission Goals and Future Plans

The mission includes 10 science experiments to study lunar conditions. Instruments will analyse moon dust, test spacecraft navigation, and measure electric fields. These findings will help scientists understand the moon’s history and support future missions.

If the landing succeeds, Blue Ghost will deploy experiments across the surface. Scientists hope this mission will provide valuable data for upcoming lunar exploration.