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

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

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

Andromeda and Meteors from Tobias Lookout — 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

comet lovejoy, comets, comet watching — 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)

2014 Geminid Meteor Over Melbourne, Australia — 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)

Self-Portrait with 2014 Geminid Meteor in Hungary — 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)

2014 Geminid Meteor Over Lovund, Norway — Tommy Eliassen

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

Image, created using data from the NOAA-NASA Suomi NPP satellite, showing how lights across San Francisco Bay Area shine more brightly in December than they do during the rest of the year. — 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)

Messier 47 and Messier 46 — 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

Translucent Rings — 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

This artist's concept shows the first planet discovered by NASA's Kepler spacecraft during its K2 mission, a — David A. Aguilar (CfA)

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

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Space.com Staff

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.