The Artemis II astronauts continued their long coast to the moon, capturing stunning photos along the way.

The new Artemis II images — coupled with initial shots of the spacecraft hurtling through Earth's orbit, surrounded by glittering, galactic ice — have rendered much of the public awestruck, feeds flooding over with an overwhelming sense of emotion as the astronauts look back at our home.

Exactly when and how plate tectonics started, however, is a matter of debate. Now, in a study published March 19 in the journal Science, rock samples from Western Australia hint that the Earth’s crust may have been moving as early as 3.48 billion years ago, roughly one billion years after our planet formed.

Orion and its four-person crew have been orbiting Earth since shortly after launch on Wednesday. Next up, a critical engine burn that will send the astronauts to the moon