Happy Anniversary to the Hubble Space Telescope! 

It was 25 years ago today that it was launched from the Discovery shuttle, and placed in orbit to start studying the Universe. And while it did need a proverbial pair of glasses shortly after launch, in those twenty five years it has done an amazing job of sending back photos and data of all aspects of the cosmos.

We have seen everything from detailed images of our neighbouring planets, to distant galaxies many millions of lightyears away, to stars that formed just after the Big Bang itself. It has given scientists new insights into every type of astrophysical event, from planetary formations and nebulae, to supermassive black holes in the centers of their own galaxies. It has allowed us to look back to the first years of the Universe's existence.

And of greatest importance, it has inspired an entire generation of young minds (and minds that refuse grow old :) )  to reach for the stars and to dream of exploring new worlds. The Hubble made astronomy cool again.

And so Happy Anniversary Hubble, and may you continue to do great things for the next 25!