Frosty Photos and a Moonlit Rocket Highlight Photos of the Week

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FLORIDA TODAY's photographers captured two striking photos on February 1st that have been selected as the publication's "Photos of the Week." One image shows the "Snow Moon" rising next to NASA's massive Space Launch System rocket at Kennedy Space Center, while another set of photos documents the record-breaking cold temperatures in the Melbourne area with icicles and other wintry scenes.

Why it matters

The photos highlight the diverse visual storytelling capabilities of FLORIDA TODAY's journalists, who are able to capture both the awe-inspiring moments of space exploration as well as the rare meteorological events that impact the local community. The images provide a unique window into the dynamic nature of life on the Space Coast.

The details

In the first photo, FLORIDA TODAY photographer Craig Bailey captured the "Snow Moon" rising alongside NASA's massive Space Launch System rocket on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center. The rocket is slated to travel around the moon as part of the Artemis II mission, which aims to return Americans to the lunar vicinity for the first time in over 50 years. On the same day, FLORIDA TODAY photographer Malcolm Denemark braved the chilly temperatures to document the record-breaking cold in the Melbourne area, with images showing icicles and other signs of the frigid weather. Temperatures on the first two days of February reached 25 and 24 degrees respectively, marking the coldest February days on record for the Melbourne region. The last time it got this cold in the area during February was in 1967, when the mercury dipped to 27 degrees.

• On February 1, 2026, the "Snow Moon" was photographed rising next to NASA's Space Launch System rocket at Kennedy Space Center.
• On February 1, 2026, temperatures in the Melbourne area reached 25 and 24 degrees, marking the coldest February days on record for the region.