Say Cheese! Hubble Telescope Sees Cosmic Smiley Face in Space

NASA/ESO; Acknowledgement: Judy Schmidt

Light bent by gravitational lensing created the illusion of a smiley face in Hubble’s view. [Read the Full Story]



Click through this gallery to see more amazing space photos from the week.

SpaceX Dragon Capsule Returns to Earth with Ocean Splashdown

Elon Musk/SpaceX

SpaceX's robotic Dragon capsule has come back to Earth, wrapping up a successful monthlong cargo mission to the International Space Station. [Read the Full Story]

European Mini-Space Shuttle Aces 1st Test Flight

ESA

A European mini-space shuttle prototype launched into space Wednesday (Feb. 11) and then zoomed back to Earth in a daring test of innovative technologies for future reusable spacecraft. [Read the Full Story]

Doomed White Dwarf Stars to Spawn Supernova in Colossal Crash

ESO/L. Calçada

Scientists using the ESO satellite spotted two stars that are set to collide in roughly 700 million years. The collision will ignite a supernova explosion. [Read the Full Story]

SpaceX Launches DSCOVR Space Weather Satellite, But No Rocket Landing

NASA TV

A private rocket carrying a space weather satellite, built to help warn Earthlings before a potentially dangerous solar storm strikes the planet, blasted off to orbit today from Florida. [Read the Full Story]

NASA Sun-Watching Probe Celebrates 5 Years in Space (Videos)

NASA/SDO

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) probe celebrated five years in Earth orbit Wednesday (Feb. 11), and the space agency marked the milestone with two new videos celebrating the spacecraft's images and scientific accomplishments. [Read the Full Story]

SpaceX's 1st Mission to Deep Space Captured in Amazing Photos

A SpaceX rocket launching the spaceflight company's first mission to deep space came in for a smooth landing in the ocean after the launch Wednesday (Feb. 11), as another piece of the rocket captured an incredible view of Earth from space. [Read the Full Story]

Daily Dance of Pluto and Moon Charon Spied by NASA Probe (Video)

NASA/APL/Southwest Research Institute

New images captured by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft show Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, orbiting their common center of mass. [Read the Full Story]

Colorful Cosmic 'Flower' Blooms in Gorgeous NASA Valentine (Photo)

NASA/CXC/U.Texas

The remains of an exploded star shine like a many-hued cosmic flower in a photo that NASA released just in time for Valentine's Day. [Read the Full Story]

Curiosity Rover Drills Into Mars Mountain, Tastes Acidic Rock

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

A NASA rover on Mars is getting another taste of an ancient Martian mountain. The space agency's Curiosity Mars rover arrived at Mount Sharp in Gale Crater about five months ago, and since then, the 1-ton robot has drilled two samples from the tall mountain, according to NASA. [Read the Full Story]