Best Space Photos of the Week - Oct. 8, 2011

Countdowns
By Space.com Staff
published

Photos: Astronaut Mark Kelly Retires with Wife Gabrielle Giffords at Side

White House Photo by David Lienemann

Former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly hung up his space wings and retired from the U.S. Navy Thursday (Oct. 6) during a Washington ceremony attended by his wife, Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. [Full Story]

World's Most Complex Radio Telescope Snaps Stunning 1st Photo of the Cosmos

ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)

After years of planning, construction and assembly, a gigantic observatory billed as the world's most complex array of ground-based telescopes has opened its eyes in South America and captured its first image. The ALMA telescope in Chile is up and running. [Full Story]

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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.