New Photographs from Artemis II Astronauts: This Time Using iPhone 17 Pro Max and Nikon Z 9
The journey to the Moon of the Artemis II mission astronauts is ongoing (with a close encounter with the natural satellite scheduled for April 6), not without a few minor issues. In recent days, we have written about how images and videos have been at the center of this mission, "bringing a bit of Space" into the homes of all enthusiasts. From the moment of the launch of the NASA SLS rocket at Kennedy Space Center to the high-resolution images and videos released by the space agency, as well as the images captured by the crew aboard Orion Integrity.
The astronauts of the Artemis II mission primarily used a professional DSLR camera, the Nikon D5 (there are two camera bodies present), but aboard Orion there are also GoPro cameras and the personal iPhones of the four members. It's interesting to note that just before the launch, and although it was not initially planned, Reid Wiseman requested and obtained permission to bring aboard a professional mirrorless Nikon Z 9.
This solution is more advanced than the Nikon D5 and will be employed during the missions on the lunar surface, so much so that astronauts remaining on Earth and those aboard the ISS have already been using Nikon Z 9 cameras for some time to become familiar with the camera body and to make necessary adjustments.
Artemis II and Photographs with iPhone 17 Pro Max and Nikon Z 9
The first known photograph captured during the Artemis II mission with the mirrorless Nikon Z 9 was taken on the third day of the journey to the Moon. One can see the Earth only partially illuminated while surrounded by the surrounding darkness of Space. The lens used was a Nikon AF 35mm f/2 D with an aperture of f/2.0, an exposure time of 1/26000", and an ISO sensitivity of 400. It may not be the most spectacular photo seen so far, but it is certainly a test to further "get familiar" with the camera.
Returning for a moment to the Nikon D5, this camera was used to capture the first image of the Moon during Artemis II. One can see our natural satellite and specifically the Mare Orientale (on the far left) which is usually not visible to humans on Earth from this angle. In this case, a zoom lens 80.0-400.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 was used at 400 mm with an aperture of f/16, an exposure time of 1/500", and an ISO sensitivity of 500.
Two other definitely suggestive images did not require a mirrorless camera or DSLR but rather a smartphone. As we know, astronauts were allowed to bring their own smartphones during the mission as an additional piece of equipment. In particular, in one of the photographs captured with the iPhone 17 Pro Max (front camera), we can see Commander Reid Wiseman looking at the Earth from the window of the Orion capsule. The EXIF data reports an aperture of f/1.9, an ISO sensitivity of 32, and an exposure time of 1/1000".
A similar image is that of mission specialist Christina Koch showing the Earth (from a different angle) through the spacecraft window. In this case, the iPhone 17 Pro Max camera settings were f/1.9 for the aperture, 20 ISO for sensitivity, and 1/180" for the exposure time. Both images were captured on April 2, and therefore our planet is clearly visible and still close while it would now appear significantly smaller given the distance reached (the astronauts are closer to the Moon than to Earth). Many images will likely be available after the return of Artemis II; in the meantime, we can enjoy a great show.