Artemis II Earthset and the Earthrise legacy: climate change 58 years on

From The Conversation, Artemis II's Earthset image, captured on April 6, 2026, is juxtaposed with Apollo 8's famous Earthrise to highlight the climate story of the last six decades. The piece notes atmospheric CO2 rising from about 320 ppm in 1968 to roughly 430 ppm in 2026, driving about 1.2°C of warming since the mid-19th century, and frames El Niño as a key contributor to recent heat. Keeling Curve data from Mauna Loa and NASA's CERES energy imbalance measurements illustrate ongoing energy accumulation in the climate system. The article connects iconic imagery to a scientific narrative about satellites tracking sea level, ice loss, and temperature records, closing with a vision of net-zero as this century's Moonshot.

Introduction: Earthrise legacy and Artemis II Earthset

Artemis II's Earthset image, captured on April 6, 2026, offers a contemporary view of Earth from the Moon, echoing the Apollo 8 moment 58 years earlier. The Conversation uses this comparison to remind readers of both beauty and fragility, tying the iconic image to today’s climate challenges.

"Oh my God, look at that picture over there! There’s the Earth comin’ up. Wow, is that pretty." - Bill Anders

CO2 and warming since Apollo 8

The article notes atmospheric CO2 has climbed from about 320 parts per million (ppm) in 1968 to roughly 430 ppm in 2026, a rise that explains most of the warming since the mid-19th century. This trajectory underscores the lasting impact of fossil-fuel driven emissions on global temperatures and sets the context for interpreting long-term climate change beyond year-to-year variability.

The Keeling curve and the climate’s energy budget

Keeling Curve data from the Mauna Loa Observatory and NASA CERES satellite measurements show a persistent CO2 rise and an increasing Earth energy imbalance, indicating a growing accumulation of energy in the climate system that underpins ongoing global heating and its consequences.

Weather patterns and record warmth

El Niño events in recent years have boosted global temperatures, with 2023 reaching about 1.43°C above pre-industrial levels and 2024 temporarily exceeding 1.5°C. The article emphasizes that surpassing this boundary in a single year does not equate to breaching the Paris agreement target on a 20-year average, but it does illustrate how rapidly warming is approaching those levels.

"For me as a climate scientist, these photos, taken 58 years apart, inspire me to reflect on how the Earth’s climate has changed in the interim." - the author (climate scientist)

From space to Earth: satellite perspectives

The narrative highlights how decades of satellite data now enable continuous monitoring of sea surface temperature, sea level, polar ice, glaciers, and land surface changes, collectively revealing warming trends and emerging geophysical signals across Earth systems.

Looking ahead: net-zero as a modern Moonshot

The piece closes with a forward-looking note that future missions may capture Earthrise against a backdrop of global efforts toward net-zero carbon emissions and more stable temperatures, framing policy and innovation as a planetary-scale challenge akin to a Moonshot.

"grand oasis" here on Earth - the author