Best Space Photos of the Week - Jan. 28, 2012

Blue Marble, Sandy Dunes and Green Martians

NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring

Spectacular space images filled the last week of January, including one stunning photo from NASA's newest Earth-watching satellite and a brilliant image of a shooting star soaring over castle ruins.

Take a look at the most stunning space photos of the week here.

'Mars Attacks' Invades Comics for 50th Anniversary

IDW

Next time you see something in the sky, it might not be a bird, a plane, or even Superman. It could be Martians. [Full Story]

NEXT: Spectacular Northern Lights From Solar Storm Wow Skywatchers

Spectacular Northern Lights From Solar Storm Wow Skywatchers

Jens Buchmann

A dazzling display of auroras lit up the far northern skies Tuesday night (Jan. 24) in a supercharged light show captured on camera by skywatchers around the world. "I was screaming from excitement like a small kid at Christmas," said skywatcher Jens Buchmann from Kiruna, Sweden. [Full Story]

NEXT: Huge Asteroid Vesta May Be Packed With Water Ice

Huge Asteroid Vesta May Be Packed With Water Ice

NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

The giant asteroid Vesta may contain a vast supply of water ice, a supply that has sat frozen for billions of years, a new study reveals. [Full Story]

NEXT: Titan Sand Dunes Reveal Clues of Saturn Moon's Past

Titan Sand Dunes Reveal Clues of Saturn Moon's Past

NASA/JPL-Caltech; NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team

New observations from NASA's Cassini spacecraft that reveal variations in Titan's dunes could shed light on the huge moon's geologic and climatic history. [Full Story]

NEXT: Most Massive Galaxies Had Frenzied Star-Forming Pasts

Most Massive Galaxies Had Frenzied Star-Forming Pasts

ESO, APEX (MPIfR/ESO/OSO), A. Weiss et al., NASA Spitzer Science Center

A team of astronomers has found the strongest link so far between the most powerful bursts of star formation in the early universe, and the most massive galaxies found today. [Full Story]

NEXT: NASA Telescope Discovers 26 Alien Planets Around 11 Different Stars

NASA Telescope Discovers 26 Alien Planets Around 11 Different Stars

NASA Ames/UC Santa Cruz

NASA's prolific planet-hunting spacecraft has hit the jackpot again, discovering 11 new planetary systems that are home to 26 confirmed alien planets. [Full Story]

NEXT: Hello, Earth! Satellite Snaps Amazing 'Blue Marble' Photo

Hello, Earth! Satellite Snaps Amazing 'Blue Marble' Photo

NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring

NASA's newest Earth-watching satellite has sent back a breathtaking image of our "Blue Marble" that offers a taste of the orbiting observatory's vast capabilities. [Full Story]

NEXT: Shooting Star Streaks Over Castle Ruins in Skywatcher Photo

Shooting Star Streaks Over Castle Ruins in Skywatcher Photo

Tamas Ladanyi / astrophoto.hu / twanight.org

A shooting star streaks across the sky over castle ruins in the small town of Veszprem, Hungary, in this photo taken by an amateur skywatcher. [Full Story]

NEXT: Sun Unleashes Strongest Flare Yet of 2012

Sun Unleashes Strongest Flare Yet of 2012

NASA/SDO

A massive solar flare — the strongest one so far this year — erupted today (Jan. 27) from the same active region of the sun that triggered a raging solar tempest earlier this week. [Full Story]

NEXT: Robotic Russian Supply Ship Arrives at Space Station

Robotic Russian Supply Ship Docks at Space Station

S.P. Korolev RSC "Energia"

A robotic Russian cargo ship pulled up to the International Space Station Friday (Jan. 27), delivering tons of fresh fruit, clothing and other vital supplies for the orbiting lab's six-man crew. [Full Story]

NEXT: Teens Send Lego Man to 'Space'

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

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.