Best Space Photos of the Week - Dec. 20, 2014

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World View Captures Spectacular Sunrise with High-Altitude Balloon (Video)

NASA Twitter

NASA's first Orion space capsule — which made its spaceflight debut at the beginning of this month — has returned to Florida after more than a week in transit. [Read the full story.]

Meteors, Andromeda and the Milky Way Dazzle in Amazing Photo

Casey James

The Andromeda galaxy appears to shine behind two stunning meteors in this amazing photograph captured by a veteran night sky photographer in California. [Read the full story.]

A Christmas Comet to be Seen From Dark Skies

Phil Hart, CC BY-SA

If you are away from the bustle of the city these holidays, then try your luck at spotting a faint comet in the northern sky. [Read the full story.]

Geminid Meteor Shower Wows Skywatchers Around the World (Photos)

Dean Weybury

The Geminid meteor shower amazed skywatchers willing to brave the cold to catch the annual display this weekend.[Read the full story.]

Geminid Meteor Shower Wows Skywatchers Around the World (Photos)

Béla Papp

Some intrepid observers managed to capture some incredible pictures of the streaking meteors in clear skies around the world, with NASA recording video of the 2014 Geminids as well. [Read the full story.]

Geminid Meteor Shower Wows Skywatchers Around the World (Photos)

Tommy Eliassen

Some intrepid observers managed to capture some incredible pictures of the streaking meteors in clear skies around the world, with NASA recording video of the 2014 Geminids as well. [Read the full story.]

Holiday Lights From Space: Satellite Sees Cities Brighten (Photos)

NASA's Earth Observatory/Jesse Allen

Cities around the world brighten considerably during the holiday season, surprising new images from space reveal. [Read the full story.]

Blue Stars Sparkle in Spectacular Deep Space Star Cluster (Video, Photos)

ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2. Acknowledgement: Davide De Martin

A new image of a well-known star cluster in the southern sky, shows off hot blue stars sparkling amid red giants. [Read the full story.]

Saturn's Rings Caught Streaking in NASA Photos

NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

The streaky details of Saturn's rings have been captured in amazing detail in new images from NASA's Cassini spacecraft. [Read the full story.]

NASA's Kepler Spacecraft Finds 1st Alien Planet of New Mission

David A. Aguilar (CfA)

NASA's Kepler space telescope is discovering alien planets again.

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Space.com Staff
Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.