Parkland College staff tracks Artemis II as mission inspires awe

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - The Artemis II mission offered a rare chance to take a look at the moon up close, giving the world incredible photos of both the moon and Earth.

Parkland Planetarium Director Erik Johnson said Parkland College staff have been following the mission closely as the spacecraft got views no human had seen in over 50 years.

"For the last several decades, we have also just kept spacecraft very close to Earth, so we haven't gotten more than a few hundred miles above the surface to do anything. Being able to learn about what we can see on the moon with the technology that we have today is pretty revolutionary," Johnson said.

Johnson added that he is glad to see how the Artemis mission has re-captured the imagination of people across the world.