NASA Unveils GIF of Moon's Dark Side as it Passes By Earth (WATCH)

NASA released a stunning animation of the far side of the moon, illuminated by the sun, passing the face of the Earth.

The image comes courtesy of the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite and its Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera, appropriately abbreviated (EPIC). The spacecraft previously delivered portraits of the Earth, showing North and South America, and then from another side showing Africa.

President Obama just wrapped up his trip to Kenya and Ethiopia, so we thought we'd share a photo of the places he visited—from 1 million miles away. This image from @NASA's #DSCOVR satellite is a reminder of the shared challenge that all nations face in combatting climate change. #ActOnClimate
A photo posted by The White House (@whitehouse) on Jul 28, 2015 at 6:27pm PDT

DSCOVR captured its "natural color" images of Earth from one million miles away. The EPIC imaging device achieves this "by combining three separate monochrome exposures taken by the camera in quick succession," NASA said in a press release.

The GIF of the moon passing by Earth on July 16 from 3:50 p.m. ET and 8:45 p.m. ET, showing the North American portion of the Pacific Ocean. The image is also seen on a tilt, and the North Pole appears in the top-left of the frame.

"It is surprising how much brighter Earth is than the moon," Adam Szabo, DSCOVR project scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., said in the release. "Our planet is a truly brilliant object in dark space compared to the lunar surface."

The NOAA and U.S. Air Force are aiding NASA with the DSCOVR spacecraft to enhance solar wind monitoring. The stunning images of Earth are the byproducts of the mission.