Month in space: Jan. 2016

Updated

The New Year started off spectacularly in the study of space as the month of January brought some unbelievably exciting discoveries and even more incredible images. Most notably, scientists announced that they finally have "solid evidence" for Planet X, a true ninth planet on the fringes of our solar system about the size of Neptune.

SEE MORE: COMPLETE SPACE COVERAGE FROM AOL

Also this month, the International Space Station got a little bit more colorful when the first flower ever grown in space made it's Instagram debut. NASA's astronauts originally had difficulty growing the plants, but eventually the small crop pulled through, producing beautiful, brightly colored alien blooms.

Finally, Astronaut Scott Kelly, currently aboard the ISS as part of a year-long mission, shared striking images of his view from space of the historic blizzard that dumped feet of snow across the East Coast. He also demonstrated how to play a brand new sport -- liquid ping pong!

Click through the gallery above to see the most incredible space photos from the past four weeks, and be sure to check back next month for our February selection of stunning cosmic photography.

NASA Astronaut Plays 'Liquid Ping Pong' In Space
NASA Astronaut Plays 'Liquid Ping Pong' In Space

More from AOL.com:
Month in space: Dec. 2015
New Horizons color image shows potentially massive 'cryovolcano' on Pluto
Hubble reveals a 'diamond-like' cluster of stars 8,000 light-years away
NASA video of swirling magnetic arches on the sun is completely mesmerizing

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