Dmitry Kondratyev and Oleg Skripochka are pictured

Dmitry Kondratyev and Oleg Skripochka  are pictured in this image from NASA TV

The spiral galaxy NGC 3982, about 68 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.

The spiral galaxy NGC 3982, about 68 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.

A Nasa image of hurricane Igor taken by astronauts on board the International Space Station

A Nasa image of hurricane Igor taken by astronauts on board the International Space Station

A spectacular solar flare erupts on the surface of the sun producing a solar flare and a fantastic prominence.

A spectacular solar flare erupts on the surface of the sun producing a solar flare and a fantastic prominence.

A star-forming cloud teeming with gas, dust and massive newborn stars

 A star-forming cloud teeming with gas, dust and massive newborn stars - An infrared image taken by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)

Robonaut 2

NASA and General Motors have developed a humanoid robot called Robonaut 2

the rising sun illuminating polar mesospheric clouds

 the rising sun illuminating polar mesospheric clouds from the International Space Station (ISS)

Manam Volcano seen from space

Manam Volcano  seen from space                                                                        NASA via AP

Martian illusion

NASA/JPL/University of Arizona.

This image taken by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows an optical illusion. What appear to be trees rising from the Martian surface are actually dark streaks of collapsed material running down sand dunes due to carbon dioxide frost evaporation. The image, taken April 7, 2008, was released Jan. 11.

Photo technique: Aerial

An aerial view shows Muslims circling the Kaaba inside and outside the Grand Mosque in Mecca December 24, 2006.
Credit: REUTERS/Ali Jarekji
Whale activists gather to make the shape of a Humpback Whale on Bondi Beach in Sydney November 16, 2007.
Credit: REUTERS/Icon Images/Spectral Q/Handout
An aerial view shows cross-country skiers climbing a hill during the Engadin Ski Marathon near Sils March 9, 2008.
Credit: REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
Aerial view of a soy field with a tractor drawing of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in a rural area outside Parana City, 495 km (307 miles) north of Buenos Aires, May 17, 2008.
Credit: REUTERS/Juan Pereira/Diario UNO de Entre Ríos
A balloon flies above chalets near Saanen during the International Hot Air Balloon Week in Chateau-d'Oex January 19, 2008.
Credit: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
An aerial view of residences on The Palm Jumeirah are seen in Dubai December 21, 2009.
Credit: REUTERS/Matthias Seifert
An aerial view shows a labyrinth in the form of a cow that is cut into a corn and hemp field in Marienfelde outside Berlin September 2, 2009.
Credit: REUTERS/Thomas Peter
An aerial view shows a flood-affected village in the eastern Indian state of Bihar September 3, 2008.
Credit: REUTERS/Indian Defence Ministry/Handout
The space shuttle Endeavour, mounted atop its modified Boeing 747 carrier aircraft, flies over California's Mojave Desert on its way back to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida after completing the STS-126 mission in this photo taken on December 10, 2008 and released by NASA on December 17, 2008.
Credit: REUTERS/NASA-Carla Thomas/Handout
The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E), a high-resolution passive microwave Instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite shows the state of Arctic sea ice on September 10 in this image released September 16, 2008.
Credit: REUTERS/NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio/Handout

Photo technique: Distorted portraits

A synchronised swimmer exercises during a training session at a provincial training base in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei province July 6, 2007.
Credit: REUTERS/Stringer

A multiple exposure shows Britain's Andy Murray serving to Spain's Fernando Verdasco during their ATP World Tour Finals tennis match at the 02 Arena in London November 26, 2009.
Credit: REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

A model is reflected in a cracked mirror while she has her hair done backstage before the Tracy Reese fall collections 2007 during New York Fashion Week February 4, 2007.
Credit: REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly

Berrick Barnes of the Australian national rugby team Wallabies is seen through glass cups during a news conference in Tokyo October 26, 2009, ahead of their 2009 Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand's All Blacks.
Credit: REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A man looks at a distorted view of himself in "Inverse Reverse Perverse" by Cerith Wyn Evans at a preview of "Sensation", September 16, 1997.
Credit: REUTERS/Ian Waldie


Singer Usher poses for a portrait to promote his new album and fragrance in New York December 16, 2009.
Credit: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson


Spain's Rafael Nadal holds the championship trophy after defeating Andy Murray of Britain in the singles final of the Indian Wells ATP tournament in Indian Wells, California, March 22, 2009.
Credit: REUTERS/Michael Fiala


Emily Csikos (L) of Canada fights for a ball with Jemma Dessauvagie of Australia during their preliminary match at the World Championships in Rome July 19, 2009.
Credit: REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh


Chinese children play in front of a distorting mirror in Jinzhai county, Anhui province, China, February 4, 2003.
Credit: REUTERS/Wilson Chu


A handout photo released by NASA shows astronaut Leland Melvin watching a water bubble float between him and the camera, showing his image refracted, on the middeck of space shuttle Atlantis November 24, 2009.
Credit: REUTERS/NASA/Handout

A view of the sun as it rises above the earth

A view of the sun as it rises above the earth, in this NASA handout photo taken from the International Space Station on July 17, 2009.

REUTERS/NASA/Handout

Apollo 11: The Unseen Pictures

abcnews.go.com

Weather delay

A giant bolt of lightning hits the launch pad of the shuttle Endeavour at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on July 13. Bad weather forced NASA to scrub the launch five times. Endeavour finally successfully took off on July 15. Its seven-astronaut crew is flying a 16-day construction mission to the International Space Station.
MSNBC.com

The NASA space shuttle Atlantis

The NASA space shuttle Atlantis en route to the Hubble space telescope is seen silhouetted against the sun in a picture taken by an astronomer in Florida

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