NASA's Psyche spacecraft, on an ambitious journey to explore a mysterious metallic asteroid, has just sent back a breathtaking image of our planet from the vast reaches of space.

Launched in October 2023 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, Psyche's mission is to reach the intriguing asteroid 16 Psyche—thought to be the remnants of a primordial planet's core.

In a remarkable test conducted this past July, the Psyche team directed the probe to gaze back at Earth from an incredible distance of approximately 180 million miles (290 kilometers). The results were nothing short of mesmerizing.

Captured over two long-exposure sessions on July 20 and July 23, the images reveal Earth and its moon set against a dazzling starry backdrop, showcasing a stunning view of our planet's solitude in the cosmos, with the brightness stemming from sunlight reflecting off its surface.

This striking image also highlights the capabilities of Psyche’s twin cameras, particularly its multispectral imager, which will analyze light wavelengths to uncover details about the asteroid's composition. Earth and the moon served as ideal subjects for this testing phase, but the team is already considering capturing more distant celestial bodies.

"After this, we may set our sights on Saturn or Vesta, a colossal asteroid, to further enhance our imaging tests," stated Jim Bell, the lead for the Psyche imager at Arizona State University. The imager has also previously focused on other fascinating planets like Jupiter and Mars.

Bell added, "We’re essentially collecting a set of cosmic ‘trading cards’ from various celestial bodies, ensuring our calibration pipeline yields accurate results for our mission ahead."